Questions of Honour

“No!”

Abby stared at Joshua. The morning sun slanted through the parlor window and glinted in his golden hair. He wants Daniel. He’s rich and powerful and he’ll take him away, a voice inside her warned. In his rock-hard gaze there wasn’t a hint of the boy who’d been all artless charm and sincere intent. But the fulminating anger of minutes earlier was gone from his eyes. That didn’t calm Abby’s anger or her fear of him and what he could do. She no longer trusted any man or her judgment where they were concerned.

“What do you mean ‘no'?” he demanded.

“No. You can’t be a father to him.”

“I am his father.”

“You can’t have him. I won’t let you take him away from me!” Abby shouted, speaking from her fear and her brother’s warning.

The angry fire blazed in Joshua’s eyes again. “Because you won’t allow it?” Though spoken in a low, quiet tone, Abby heard the threat in his question. A threat she quickly realized hadn’t been there before.

“Daniel won’t allow it,” she spat back. “He loathes you.”

Joshua grinned, but it was a grin bereft of humor. He looked like an irritated cougar. “I’ve noticed you saw to your father’s threat. Apparently Michael promised to alienate the boy in retribution.”

“Well, we didn’t. None of us want him hating part of himself. I told him his father had gone before he was born and never returned.”

“Then how did he know I was his father?”

Abby thought she would fly apart if he didn’t stop questioning her and the way she’d raised Daniel. Who did he think he was to come in here and interrogate her? She pulled out the ingredients for sugar cookies, slamming them on the kitchen table. Letting the clinking of glass bowls, the sugar and flour tins and metal measuring cups, fill the air, she let her mind drift.

Abby remembered that glorious summer when young love had caught flame and burned out of control. Then she remembered she’d been the one to get burned.

Her voice low, she told him, “That you’re his father is common knowledge, Joshua. We were inseparable, you and I, that summer and it was easy for people to count back once my condition became apparent. My marriage fooled no one.”

Joshua moved closer, probably to hear her barely audible words. “If you never spoke against me then why does he hate me?” Joshua asked. Abby almost thought she heard pain in his voice.

Blessed anger flared in her heart. She wouldn’t have it! He’d not charm her into believing he was the one wronged. If he’d lost his son’s goodwill, he deserved it. “Because having a Wheaton for a father is probably a greater embarrassment to Daniel than Daniel is to you. He also has a good head on his shoulders. He’s formed opinions all on his own about the kind of man you must be to have abandoned me.”

“And you never tried to contradict those opinions.”

“I didn’t want to lie to him, either.”

“But as you said, I’m his father and he’s a part of me.”

“More’s the pity, but don’t worry, Daniel’s a good, honest boy who’s not a’tall like you.”

Joshua smirked. “Honest? That isn’t what I hear.”

Abby forgot their earlier physical encounter and threw a measuring cup at him but he managed to deflect it. He took two quick steps and grabbed her hands before she could hurl a second cup. They struggled. Seconds later Joshua won the contest of strength and the cup skidded harmlessly across the floor as Joshua’s arms tightened around her, pinning her arms to her sides.

The encounter might have ended as before but Abby felt a bit of satisfaction this time as he held her imprisoned against his unyielding chest. She’d hurt him when he’d batted the heavy cup aside. She could see the pain in his eyes as they stared at each other, nose-to-nose, gazes locked and silently warring. Their breathing was the only sound in the room and a different kind of heat flashed between them.

Then the click of a rifle being cocked broke the deadlock and the connection between them. “I’ll be thanking you to remove your hands from my daughter, Joshua Wheaton,” Michael Kane growled.

Joshua released Abby at once and stepped back. Truth told, he had to let her go anyway. Angry as he was, he found he couldn’t be close to Abby and not kiss her. He turned to fully face Michael Kane and flinched when he saw the crutches and the empty pants leg. This was the result of the accident Abby mentioned. Damn!

Then their eyes met and Joshua felt suddenly drained. Michael looked at him as if he were the snake come to spoil the Garden of Eden. Joshua said nothing. He had no idea how to bridge the gap that lay between them. This man, who had been a father to him, hated him now. It hurt more than the enmity between him and Harlan.

“Now I’m thinking by Abaigeal’s red face that you’ve worn out your welcome here. Not, I might add, that you’ve had one ‘round here in a good many years. I’d be moving on were I you. Because, boyo, this may be your house but the gun says ‘tis still my home. Now off with you.”

Without a word Joshua turned and walked to the door. His hands shook when he unlatched it. He stopped on the threshold, unable to leave things as they were. He looked back at Michael, standing tall and proud with the aid of a crutch and a door frame, hating that he’d lost the man’s respect.

“I swear to you, Mr. Kane, I had no idea Abby had conceived my child. I’m sorry I let things go that far between us. It was my fault, not Abby’s. You trusted me and I broke that trust. I’ll find some way to make it up to you—to all of you. And by damn I’ll find out why Abby’s letters never reached me.”

Michael glared. “I know who pushed who and I don’t need you to defend Abby to me at this late date. I certainly don’t need you to tell me who was at fault. Now get out!” he shouted.

Abby stared out the kitchen window at the mountain beyond, as the door slammed behind Joshua. Could he be telling the truth? Had he really not known of Daniel?

“Don’t you be believin’ that slick-tongued devil, Abby girl. The path to pain is what it ‘tis.” She knew she should listen, but it wasn’t that easy anymore.

Joshua truly had sounded angry and as if he’d never known of Daniel. She let the joy of that thought wash over her. Perhaps Joshua really had loved her. Perhaps he would have returned for her if he had known of Daniel. But the joy was short-lived. What had happened to his supposed love for her? He had not returned for her and her alone. Tears once again filled her eyes over Joshua and his faithless love.

“I know, Da. Don’t you be worrying yourself over it. He never thought of me after this town saw the back of him. Never one letter asking if all was well. I needed him. I believed in his love, but it was a lie. I’ll never let myself forget that. And what, at this late date, could he think to do to make up for all the pain? He’s a man promised to another woman. A woman, who by the look of her, would never accept his son from the coal patch.”

“'Tis sorry I am for your heartache, Abaigeal. I wish your mother was here to comfort you, but would a hug from your old da help?” Michael leaned his back against the doorjamb and held out his long arms, calling to her. Abby ran to him and held on for dear life. Why couldn’t Joshua have been half as faithful as her own sweet da?

Daniel quickly changed his pants and shirt to the ripped ones he’d had to smuggle out of the house. He sure wished his ma hadn’t caught him leaving in them. Peeking around the end of the breaker shed, he checking to see if his Uncle Brendan had gone into the mine shaft. He saw no one ahead but Luther Dancy, who was almost to the breaker shed.

An arm caught him from behind around the middle and lifted him off the ground. “Now what would the boss’s boy be doin’ round here at this time of the day?”

“Let me go. My uncle’ll beat you black and blue if you hurt me,” Daniel shouted, squirming to get loose.

The big man squeezed him so tight Daniel couldn’t breathe. Lights exploded in his head then everything dimmed.

“Let the lad go, Dooley,” he heard in the distance. “He’s not lookin’ real comfortable.”

Daniel looked into the kindly eyes of Sean Murphy, the man who was sweet on his ma. “Help,” Daniel pleaded with what felt like his last breath.

Murphy looked suddenly alarmed. “Let the boy go now! Damn you, you drunken sot!”

Daniel felt himself falling then found himself in Murphy’s arms. “Now, there’s a lad,” he said, patting Daniel’s back. “All righty? What were you were doin’ with the likes of Dooley?”

“He came up from behind me. I’m not supposed to have nothing to do with men like him, my ma says.”

“And your ma would be right. That doesn’t explain why you’re here,” the tall, dark-haired man said as he made himself comfortable on the ground next to Daniel.

Daniel knew he had to tell the truth. Murphy might be sympathetic to his cause.

Murphy scratched his head after Daniel shared his plans. “I can see your dilemma. I faced the same choice myself a while back. Tell you what. I’ll introduce you to Luther Dancy myself and get you started. You can clean up at my place after work and maybe put off your folks finding out for a few days.”

“Geez, thanks, Mr. Murphy,” Daniel told him, wondering why so many men made fun of him.

“That’s what friends are for. We miners have to stick together. And we have your mother’s welfare in common, too, don’t we?”

The hair on Daniel’s arms stood up. He didn’t know what he’d heard in the man’s friendly words but something hadn’t sounded quite right. Murphy loved Daniel’s mother. Love was a good thing. Confused, Daniel looked up into Murphy’s eyes and relaxed. His blue eyes sparkled and his smile was kind and friendly. “Thanks again for saving me,” Daniel said.