This story follows Matthew and refers to some of those events. It will probably be the last in the OW Josiah-Rebecca saga for a while. I want to try my hand at an ATF (thank you, MOG!) adventure.
Jean-Luc
Josiah, Nathan and Buck rode slowly into Four Corners around mid-afternoon. It had been a long trip and all three were tired. They rode directly to the livery where they fed, watered, and curried their horses; then all three headed directly to the bath house.
Buck was surprised! "Thought you'd be anxious to see Becca!"
"Don't want her backing away from the smell!" growled Josiah.
It felt good to wash off the trail dust and sweat. Josiah kept walking as Buck and Nathan stopped at the saloon.
Before he could reach the shop, Josiah met Maude on the walkway. "Maude," said Josiah pleasantly as he touched the brim of his hat.
"Why, Josiah," gushed Maude, "Rebecca will be quite surprised! She was not anticipating your arrival! She has been occupied with an old beau from San Francisco. I do believe they are keeping company in The Weaving Shop as we speak! Please excuse me, I am rather tardy for an appointment. Good day, Josiah!" Maude smiled wickedly as she hurried away.
Josiah turned to watch Maud; he knew she was up to something, and knowing her, it was nothing good!
As Josiah reached for the doorknob to the shop, he looked through the window to see Rebecca backed against the side of a floor loom by a strange man. He had her arms pinned against the loom and he was kissing her – he was kissing Josiah's wife! But what angered him the most, Rebecca wasn't even attempting a token struggle!
"What the hell's going on here!" roared Josiah as he burst through the door. Both Rebecca and the man startled and he immediately released her. They both turned to face Josiah.
"Josiah!" squeaked Rebecca gasping, "This is Gerald Lewis from San Francisco! He's…he's…"
"An old beau, I already heard," said Josiah with a glare.
Gerald Lewis made a move to offer his hand to Josiah, but changed his mind abruptly. He wanted to keep his distance from this sizable man in his angered state. Josiah sized Gerald up as well; he was, maybe, an inch taller than Josiah, but Josiah was broader of chest. Gerald was well-dressed and the women probably considered him handsome, but he was sadly out of place in Four Corners.
"Think you'd better leave, Mr. Lewis, and from now on, limit your physical contact with my wife," grumbled Josiah.
"Now see here, my good man, Rebecca is free to return to San Francisco with me, if she wishes!" Gerald said haughtily.
Rebecca was shocked! That's not what she told him, but before she could speak, Josiah whispered, "Out."
Gerald drew himself up to his full height and said, "I am not leaving unless Rebecca requests it!"
In one swift motion, Josiah grabbed the collar of Gerald's jacket in one hand and the seat of his pants in the other. Josiah propelled Gerald to the door, only releasing the hold on his jacket to open the door, then Josiah literally threw Gerald out of the shop!
Josiah slammed the door, then turned to Rebecca. It wasn't often that Rebecca looked terrified of Josiah, in fact, he couldn't recall a single time before this! Rebecca was backing away and trying to keep a loom or table between them. Her green eyes were wide with fright, her face was flushed, tendrils of her auburn hair escaped their pins and fell softly around her face. She was five feet two inches tall and one hundred six pounds of spirit, and Josiah couldn't wait to get his arms around her after his long absence!
"Do you want Gerald to come back in?" Josiah asked very softly.
Rebecca shook her head. "No," she whispered.
"Do you want to go back to San Francisco?" Josiah persisted.
Rebecca shook her head again.
"Rebecca, come here," Josiah said gently.
Rebecca shook her head still again.
"Are you going to try to explain what I just witnessed? And don't even think of shaking your head!" added Josiah quickly.
Rebecca thought of the hurtful things Gerald said about Josiah and the children; she knew they came from Maude. Rebecca refused to repeat them! Gerald baited her – and she fell right into the trap! Rebecca acted foolishly. Maybe if she hadn't been so lonely for the children, maybe if Josiah wasn't away for so long… then Rebecca thought how she would feel if she found Josiah kissing another woman…
"Josiah, I think you're going to be more angry after I explain than you are right now!" whispered Rebecca.
"Explain it to me," he ordered.
Rebecca was almost holding her breath as she spoke, but Josiah waited for her to continue and she knew better than to antagonize him right now. "Gerald said a lot of things about Four Corners and you and the children that I know he heard from Maude Standish! He said I haven't been kissed properly since I married Tyler and he would prove to me that I would be happy to return to San Francisco with him! I'm honestly not quite sure how it happened, but I… sort of... let him… kiss me… I wanted to prove to him that I didn't have any feelings for him, or something..." Rebecca didn't like the look on Josiah's face!
Josiah took three steps toward her and caught her arm as she backed away. He sat on a weaving bench and pulled her onto his lap. He held her because she was ready to bolt. When she finally found her voice, she yelled, "Damn it, Josiah! Don't grab me like that; it frightens me!" Then, after a few moments she said earnestly, "Josiah, you have to believe me when I say that nothing was going to happen, even if you did not walk in!"
"I know you, Rebecca, and I trust you," Josiah said with a sigh, "but you just don't understand! This isn't merely about you kissing another man. You were alone with a man who could easily overpower you and have his way with you! Rebecca, you put yourself at risk, AGAIN! This is a man you knew a long time ago and obviously rejected. Gerald may be a different man now. He could have ulterior motives, in addition to Maude's, I mean. Rebecca, you have to think! You could have been hurt or…worse!"
She stared at him realizing exactly how foolish she had been! "I hate it when you're right," muttered Rebecca putting her arms around his neck. "Josiah, I love you and I missed you so much! I'm sorry about Gerald…"
"You know this has something to do with your encounter with Maude in the General Store," reminded Josiah.
Rebecca was amazed! "How did you know about that? That was months ago, before Matt came to live with us!"
"Ruth and Mark entertained us in the saloon shortly after it happened. Ruth told us how you backed 'Mrs. Sandwich' into the wall and told her your armpit-opinion analogy. Then Mark told us how I keep you very, very satisfied!" Josiah chuckled.
Rebecca stared at him open-mouthed in total disbelief! "Who else heard that?"
"All of us," he grinned.
Rebecca buried her head on Josiah's shoulder and groaned; Josiah hugged her to him and laughed!
"Why were you afraid of me just now?" he wanted to know. "I never touched you in anger, never hurt you."
"Never hurt me? That's not what I remember!" complained Rebecca.
"A spanking you well deserved doesn't count," Josiah stated firmly, "and I should put you over my knee right now!" Rebecca gave him a look he chose to ignore.
"No, really, Rebecca, I want to know. What made you so afraid just now?" Josiah repeated, remembering her past night terrors and wanting to be prepared.
"I'm not sure; I think it was a throw-back to another person, another time. Maybe seeing Gerald brought back memories of San Francisco. Maybe I know how I would react if I were in your place, I don't know. I love you, Josiah, and I'm not afraid of you, not really; I'm just not used to seeing you so angry, especially when I'm involved in the activity that elicited the anger!"
Rebecca thought for a moment, then she asked, "Do you think Ezra would mind if I shot Maude?"
"Rebecca!" Josiah said firmly, then he paused looking directly into her eyes, "You will not spar with Maude. She's ruthless and has nothing to lose. Promise me you will let it go. Ezra is family and Maude is his mother. And if you don't come to your senses, I'll start banging a Bible at you – I know lots of passages about vengeance!" Josiah was adamant. "And if that doesn't work, I'll blister your backside! Take your pick." Rebecca just sighed and rolled her eyes. "And where are the children?" he wanted to know.
Rebecca told Josiah how Vin needed help fixing Nettie's barn, so he asked Matt and John to come out to her ranch for a few days. Nettie wanted to see the little ones, so they went along. " I sent a lot of food! Can you imagine trying to feed those three young men after they've been working!"
Josiah and Rebecca sat with their arms around each other until Josiah winked. "Would you really be jealous if you saw me kissing another woman?"
Rebecca smiled, "Hell hath no fury…"
He scooped her up in his arms and made up for all the nights he was gone. He also gave Rebecca the opportunity to apologize properly for the scene with Gerald!
Josiah was not expected until the next day; Rebecca had nothing prepared for supper! "Mrs. Sanchez, may I have the honor of escorting you to the restaurant for an evening meal?" Josiah asked offering his arm and bowing slightly.
Rebecca curtsied and accepted his arm saying, "It would be my privilege, Mr. Sanchez!"
Josiah hung his coat and Rebecca's shawl on the pegs by the door as they entered the restaurant. They both smiled pleasantly at Maude, Ezra and Gerald, and searched for a table as far from them as possible.
After they ordered, Maude approached with a syrupy smile, but a venomous look in her eye, and said, "I do hope that I didn't cause a problem by referring to Mr. Lewis as an old beau?"
Josiah looked over at Ezra; Ezra raised both palms in the air, shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. Gerald looked like he was attempting to slide under the table to escape Josiah's gaze. Maude just stood by the table next to Josiah and Rebecca with that sickeningly sweet smile. Josiah was proud of Rebecca for controlling her temper so well.
Josiah looked at Maude and smiled that big toothy grin, "Maude, why don't you go back to your table before I let Rebecca slap you silly in front of all these people?"
Rebecca stared at Josiah while Maude gave a huffy, "Well I never…" and stomped back to her table.
To be continued...