Harlot (Bartered Hearts 2)

orcing the fence for an hour, then moved on to rehanging a barn door that had come loose in a storm. By the time dinner came around, Caleb had to take another quick wash. His stomach growled at the smell of roasted rabbit drifting out of the kitchen.

He caught the women mid-chuckle when he walked in. Jessica blushed and looked away, but the smile stayed on her lips. “There’s not much rabbit, but I’m sure we’ll never run out of beans.”

“I set snares,” Caleb said. “Three of them. They’re right on the trail, but I marked the trees just in case. I could show you how to set them.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“You can probably catch them year-round in that brush.”

“That’d be a big help.”

There were a lot of ways he could help here, but he kept that thought to himself for now.

Dinner was quiet, but for once he didn’t feel uncomfortable at a set table. Bill didn’t say much, but Melisande asked Caleb about California. Then she told stories about Louisiana. She missed the heat, she said, but not much else.

Caleb helped clear the plates, and the women washed the dishes while Bill wiped the table down. It seemed only a few minutes passed before Bill and Melisande excused themselves and left Caleb and Jessica alone.

“They stay together out there,” Jess explained as she untied her apron and took it off.

“They seem content.”

“I think so. It’s been good to have them here. Safe.”

“You were alone before?” he pressed.

“Yes.” Her voice had gone soft like she didn’t want to talk about it.

“But how did you end up here, in this house all by yourself? You never did say.”

She smoothed a careful hand over her hair, her eyes locked on a spot past his shoulder. “It was the deal. This house for my innocence.”

“Who was it, Jess? I’ll kill him if you like. Whoever he is, he deserves it.”

Her face had been flushed, but now it went pale. “It doesn’t matter. I took the deal. I thought I’d sell the house and move on, and no one would ever know. Not even you. But then…someone heard something. Word spread. And no one will buy a whorehouse for their family. There’s not enough good soil here to make the shame worthwhile.”

“Someone will buy it,” he said, but his mind was working, trying to remember who’d owned this place before. He could ask around town, see who’d farmed this land, who’d sold it. Whoever it was must be the man. And then Caleb would…do what? Truly kill him? Beat him to a pulp, at least? Spit on his broken body?

“Have you seen your mother since you came back?” Jessica asked.

“No. I rode straight here. I’m not sure if I’ll make myself known or not.”

She nodded and twisted her hands into her skirt, and Caleb was afraid she was about to say good-bye. “You want me to show you how to set a snare?” he asked quickly. “We’ve got an hour of sunlight left.”

“No, I—”

“It’s simple. Won’t take long to teach you.”

“Maybe in the morning,” she whispered.

“The morning?” He wished he could pull back the hopeful note in his voice, but it was there, bright and truthful between them.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t know if I should ask you to stay.”

He reached slowly forward and took one of her hands. “Please. Please let me stay. For tonight, at least. Let me…” His throat tightened, and he wasn’t sure what he’d meant to say anyway. Let me take those other nights back. Let me show you something kinder.

But in the end, she nodded, and he didn’t have to say anything more.

“I’ll check on the cow, then,” he offered. “Make sure she’s settled for the night.”