Chapter Ten: 1886
Adaline turned her mind fully to the family business, she no longer entertained thoughts of love and children, dismissing them as soon as they entered her mind. Joe was her priority and securing his future was her soul mission.
She had grown their land holdings by 5,000 acres in the last two years, using the profits from the store to secure more land and timber rights throughout the County. Adaline had a reputation around the County as being Devil Anse's more ruthless daughter-in-law; she ran a tight ship and surrounded herself with the loyal Hatfield men, in case there were any doubt in who the boss was.
Cap Hatfield had a reputation as being violent and deadly, stories of his shooting skills bounced around the County, getting more elaborate every time they were told. Of course, no-one was telling Adaline such stories, but she would overhear whispers when she was in town. Sometimes she liked to ride into Pikeville looking particularly ruthless, so Frank Phillips knew that she considered him no threat.
Adaline knew that these games were silly, but without the diversions of family and children, she had very little else to keep her mind from going soft. Her son was almost four years old, he had never met his real father, and they hadn't seen his step father in over a year. Adaline wondered if this would have an impact on her son, but he was the happiest child she had seen, and she hoped it would stay that way.
Adaline thought of Cap often, she did not think of him fondly, but as a woman scorned. Even as she did so, she knew it was unfair, but she also knew that this feud and Cap were ruining any thoughts she may have had for her future, for Joe's future.
No-one had considered that the Hatfield's would be relegated to the hills for as long as they already had been, and their legal and political avenues looked to be about exhausted. Adaline wrote updates on the business and County regularly for her Uncle Anse, being the head of the family, being removed from his commercial endeavours left him feeling useless. She knew that it would be Cap who would read these letters that she sent with Billy to his father, but she never addressed Cap when she wrote them.
Sometimes she wondered if Cap had a woman hidden up in the hills that he stayed warm with at night, he had stayed one night under her roof as her legal husband, and hadn't ventured back since.
Adaline had gone up to her Uncle Anse's ranch house, and straightened everything up. She had put some of her workmen in there to live for the time being, on the proviso that they maintained the house and barn. She wanted everything to be as it was for Levicy when she returned, she missed her aunt, who had had two more children since being in hiding. It was no way to live, and her and her Aunt Sarah had grave concerns with how Levicy would be coping up there.
Adaline had started hosting Sunday lunches at her house again, to bring the family together that was left on the ground. It was good for them to stay close, and make plans for the future. After lunch Adaline would sit with the little ones and read them stories.
One such Sunday, when she was busy preparing lunch in the kitchen with her aunts and their daughters, she looked up from kneading dough to see Cap standing at the back door. At first she was taken aback, it had been so long since she had seen him. Her Uncle Jim walked in behind him.
Adaline wasn't prepared for seeing her so-called husband, she felt a hot wave of emotion rising in her and she clenched her jaw.
"Well didn't we choose the right day to come for a visit?" Uncle Jim gave the ladies a fright as they hadn't seen them walk in.
Adaline walked over and gave Jim a big hug, "It's so good to see you. Is everything OK?"
"Oh yes yes, no need for alarm, we're just calling in for some supplies." He replied, normally Robert, E. and Val came and picked up the supplies.
"Can you stay a little while?" Sarah asked.
Adaline walked up to Cap as the rest continued talking, he had made no move to approach her, and he looked cold.
"How are you Cap?" she asked, concerned by his demeanour.
"I'm fine Addy." He said flatly, his cool response stinging her.
Adaline didn't know what to do with so many people in the room bearing witness to their awkward exchange.
"You know, you'd hardly know that you two were raised together and are, in fact, married." Jim joked, and the women laughed to be polite, as they threw each other furtive glances.
Adaline took Cap's hand to lead him out the back, on the pretence of looking in the barn. Once inside, she turned and looked at him.
"What's the matter Cap?" Adaline asked, searching his face for some indication of what he was thinking, annoyed that he had the hide to be so cold to her when she was the one he had abandoned.
"I told you, I'm fine." He said looking around the barn, "you look like you've been busy in here. He took her hand and ran his fingers over her palm, "Still swinging that axe I see."
"Well, normally my husband would do it, but I haven't seen him since 1884." She said sarcastically, the heat rising in her voice, as she pulled her hand away.
"You're mad huh?" Cap asked, showing a little insight.
Adaline didn't know what came over her, she slapped his face, hard. He looked so shocked and stood there as she burst into tears. Eventually he made a move to console her, but she put her hand up keeping him back.
"No!" she said with anger in her voice, turning away from him, she walked further into the barn and sat on the pile of timber she had neatly stacked at the back to try and compose herself.
"Adaline, what's the matter with you?" He touched his cheek, and looked at with her head in her hands. Slowly she looked up at him, her expression was one that Cap didn't recognise, and he realized that the young girl that he used to know, was not the woman that sat in front of him now.
"Leave," she said looking at him with a steel gaze, and there was no wondering how this young woman had garnered her ruthless reputation, Cap had scarcely believed the reports up until now.
Cap walked back into the house, still feeling the sting of her hand on his cheek.
"Where's Addy?" Sarah asked as he walked into the kitchen.
"Found a job to do in the barn, you know how she is." He said weakly, looking at Sarah and Jim.
Jim walked up to him and poked his cheek, "Yeh she found something to do alright. Good luck with that."
The men walked into the drawing room, the rest of the family was thrilled to see them and listened to them recount stories of their family members living in the hills.
"Well you have nothing to worry about down here, that girl of yours has gotten herself quite a reputation as a force to be reckoned with." Said his Uncle Patterson.
"We could've told them that!" Jim laughed, he was jubilant about being back amongst his family in front of a big fireplace with a whiskey in his hand.
Soon dinner was served and Adaline brought out a tray of vegetables and noticed that the seat next to Cap had been left vacant for her. Cap followed her around the room with his stony gaze, not wanting to draw attention, Adaline sat down and turned to Jim, who had been given the honour of sitting at the head of the table.
"Do you have a toast for us Uncle Jim?" Adaline asked, attempting to sound jovial.
"Here's to our big beautiful family, I have missed you all! Cheers!" he raised his glass, all red in the cheeks. They all laughed and started to eat.
Soon it was near dark and the different families started to peel off home before it got dark. Adaline continued to clean up in the kitchen as Joe sat drawing at the kitchen table. Cap and Jim came in and sat in the armchairs in front of the fire, pouring themselves more whiskey.
Adaline could see how happy they were to be back in the house again, surrounded by family and laughter, she guessed there hadn't been too much in the hills over the last two years. She made up a bed for Jim with clean sheets and drew a bath in case one of them wanted to have one.
Leaving the men to talk amongst themselves, Adaline put Joe down to bed and read him a short story. When she returned to the kitchen, Jim was snoring in the armchair and Cap was gone. She heard a noise come from the bathroom and ventured in without thinking to see if he had everything he needed.
As she walked in he was lowering himself into the bath and she realised she had never seen him naked before, so as not to stare she picked up his clothing off the floor and hung them neatly on hangers on the back of the door. They smelled, and she decided she would wash them and hope that they dried overnight in front of the fire.
Adaline was still so angry with Cap that she could feel it sitting under the surface, she took a deep breath and tried to contain herself. It had been a nice afternoon, in general, and she didn't want to ruin that by getting into a fight. Besides, she didn't know if she was more enraged by his long absence or his clear indifference.
The room was hot from the vent in the hearth, it was a well-designed bathroom, as it didn't matter what time of year it was it was always nice having a bath. Adaline picked a bar of soap, it smelled like roses, but she was sure that Cap wouldn't mind.
She sat down on the small stool she used for bathing Joe, and rolled up the sleeves on her blouse.
"Let me do your back." She said gently. As she touched his neck with the sponge, he leant forward and she reached into the lukewarm water with the sponge and moved it about his back and eventually neck, allowing it to fill with water, she pulled him back gently and wet his hair squeezing the sponge.
Adaline calmed as she moved her hand across his skin, deep in thought, she realised that she had missed him. Not her husband, but her friends. Cap leant back, pulling her from her own thoughts, and she moved the sponge gently across his chest. Cap put his hand on her arm holding it against his chest in the water.
"I'm sorry for slapping you." She said truthfully, as rested her cheek on his shoulder.
"That's ok Addy," he said patting her arm, "I guess I haven't been a very good husband."
Adaline let out a weak laugh, and tears started streaming down her face as she hugged him tighter, "I missed you Cap, I don't think you have been away from me for that long my whole life."
"I know darlin', I'm sorry." He said genuinely, thinking back to when Adaline was a little girl and how she always wanted to be near him, and then her married her and left her alone.
Adaline was thinking a different thought and braced herself to ask one of the questions she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to, "Do you have another woman?"
At that, Cap turned around and looked her in the eyes, searching her face to try and understand her more. In that moment, he saw the girl that Adaline was always trying to hide, vulnerable and tired.
"I'm married to you Addy and I take that seriously," he looked annoyed now, and he held her face in one hand so that she wouldn't move away, he wanted her to hear what he had to say, "I know you aren't keen on physical relations and I understand that on account of how we got married, but it doesn't mean I would seek another woman out over you."
Adaline swallowed, as her chin trembled, "I didn't want to forego the physical on account of how we got married Cap, I wanted to forego them on account that you have always been so indifferent to me as a woman."
"I don't understand," his expression made that clear.
"I've known you a long time Cap. I know that you're not attracted to me, and I know I'm nothing like the women you are interested in. I know I'm not the style of wife you ever wanted for yourself." She moved his hand gently from her face, "And on account of that it would pain you to be with me in that way, and it would pain me even more seeing it on your face at such a moment." She stood and left the room quickly, going straight to her room before she started crying again.
Composing herself she went to wake Jim and tell him that his bed was ready for him, seeing him no longer in the arm chair, she checked the back room where he was fast asleep snoring loudly.
Adaline turned down the fires and all the oil lamps, and went to get herself ready for bed. Washing up and putting on her nightgown quickly in case Cap came in, she stood in front of the mirror and unwound the tight bun that her Aunt Sarah had fixed in earlier in the day, she collected the pins and ran her fingers through her hair. A creak of the floorboard let her know that Cap was there, as she turned around he stood there with a towel around him.
She turned back to the mirror placing the pins in a jar on the dresser, and then went to put another log on the fire.
"You always have so many fires burning Addy," Cap said thoughtfully as he counted four.
"I know," she smiled, "but I like that it makes the house look and feel warm. If it was cold and dark in each room, it would feel even emptier than it actually is."
That made sense to Cap, and he took the opportunity to add, "Eventually we will fill the house up with children Addy, it won't always be like this."
This was surprising for Adaline to hear, and confusing. Adaline smiled at the thought, she had almost resigned herself to the fact that Joe may be an only child.
He walked over to where she was standing next to the fire, "Addy, I just want you to not think or talk for the next little bit, think you can do that?"
Her eyebrows furrowed, but before she could reply, he kissed her. When he pulled away and put his finger to her lips, "Ssh." He smiled at her and put her arms in the air, he then proceeded to pull her nightgown overhead gently, discarding it on the floor. He looked at her, cupping her amble bosom in his hands before pulling the light blue ribbon on her draws until they fell to the floor.
He kissed her again gently, moving her back toward the bed, dropping his own towel on the way.
"Now, do you feel like I don't want you Adaline?" He asked, waiting for an answer.
She searched his face and saw the desire in eyes, she shook her head. With that he lifted her on the bed and gently parted her legs, easing himself inside of her slowly. The breath hitched in her throat, and he pushed himself further, pulling her knee forward with him in one hand. Looking down at her intently, Adaline wanted to look away from his gaze, she touched his face and he kissed her neck, moving faster against her now.
He pulled her towards him, then pushing her knees apart, he loomed over her just looking at her; trying to commit every inch of her to memory. With a look she had never seen on his face before, he lowered and drove himself against her with such a need, she thought she may break. As she thought that she may not be able to take anymore, he finished and then kissed her gently.
Cap lay on his side, looking towards her as she lay on her back, he was searching for some sort of sign that she was happy about what just occurred. Adaline lay looking up at the ceiling, reflecting on how quickly things could change, her mind not quite caught up with her body. She could feel his eyes on her and rolled toward him and asked softly, "Am I allowed to talk yet?"
The next morning, Adaline woke early, thinking immediately of the night before. She looked over at Cap, sound asleep, and she decided to let him lie in. Picking her nightgown and draws off the floor, she wrapped her bedroom jacket around her she went to stoke the fires. She could hear Jim snoring, and when looking in on Joe, found him sound asleep.
After making a pot of tea she sat in the armchair in front of the fireplace, and thought of her anger yesterday compared with the blissful feeling she now felt, as her three boys slept safely under the one roof.
Going back to her bedroom quietly, she closed the door behind her seeing that Cap had woken up. Adaline walked over and stood in front of where he sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at him putting his head in her hands, gently she leant down and kissed him, she feared as sure as the sun would rise, that it would be some weeks before she would see him again.
Cap pulled her back down as she went to straighten, laying her down on the bed he moved between her legs, his hands finding their way. Kissing her neck, he paused and looked at her and she nodded even though she still ached a little from last night.
He pushed himself against her slowly at first, kissing her gently, building momentum he pulled her legs around his waist and lifted her up against the wall. Cap put his hand across her mouth as he powered against her for what felt like hours to Adaline as his force pressed her against the wall, slowing with two final thrusts he held her there, resuming to kiss her in a way she had never known, opening her mouth with his own as if he were trying to consume her entirely. With her legs still wrapped around him, he moved her back to the bed gently laying her down and removing her night gown.
Cap looked intently upon her, running his hands gently over every inch of her, inside of her as he pressed her in a way that sent waves around her body; he smiled as her back arched over and over again. When he thought she had taken all that she could, he rolled her onto her stomach and moved against her, kissing her shoulders gently.
Adaline was clearly not a virgin, but she had never lay with her late husband in anyway like this, her whole body ached but wanted more. His weight was on her and his breathe was hot on the back of her neck as his momentum increased again, he turned her back to face him and moved her to the centre of the bed, not taking his eyes of her face for one moment. When he finished, he remained on top of her as they both breathed heavily after the exertion.
Looking down at her he smiled and laughed a little, and kissed her again. "I love you Addy, you know that don't you?"
"No, but I had always hoped." She replied honestly.
It had been three weeks since Jim and Cap had been to Adaline's for supplies, their camp was well stocked and they were still in good moods that had held over from seeing their family and staying at Adaline's.
Uncle Jim kept mentioning that the bed in the back bedroom of the big house was just about the most comfortable he had ever slept on, and now Cap craved Adaline in a way that he never had before. Cap found himself closing his eyes to restore the mental picture he had saved of her, and remembering her body moving to his will so easily, she hadn't resisted him and let him take her where he wanted to go.
"You both seem in decidedly better moods since returning from Addy's," Anse commented as they were fishing one day. "I know why Cap would be," he said sheepishly, "But Jim, what's your excuse."
"Now don't go making assumptions Anse, they aren't married in that kinda way." Jim said poking fun at Cap.
"Really?" Anse asked confused.
"We are now." Cap said with a grin on his face.
"So Jim?" Anse turned.
"She sent me home with much better whiskey Anse, much better."
They laughed, and then got a little reminiscent to when things were simpler. The time hiding away was taking its toll on the men's spirit, and it was obvious that they couldn't let this go on much longer.
Adaline had been missing Cap now that she had finished hating him; he could give no assurances to when he would be back, which Adaline understood, but she missed him all the same. She hadn't let anything else slip, even though she spent a lot more time entertaining thoughts of Cap and their life in the future.
This inspired Adaline to grow the stronghold for her family further, she had started to scope out more pieces of land on either side of the tug. She would just ride around the country side looking for little pieces of heaven; which for Adaline meant level acreage with plenty of timber that could be turned to cropping after it had been cleared of lumber.
Adaline would take Joe on these trips with her now that he was four and could sit up in the saddle in front of his mother. On one such trip across the Tug, she came across Jim and Calvin McCoy on the road.
"Afternoon boys," she said casually.
"Hi Adaline," Jim said, friendly enough. Calvin said nothing.
"It's nice running into you without a heap of armed gunmen surrounding us," she laughed, referring back to Mr Phillips visit to her home.
"Well you're probably laughing at us now that you're married to Cap Hatfield, aren't you?" Calvin said, hate in his voice.
"I am married to Cap, yes Calvin. And no, I was never laughing at you. I was glad that you left when you did. Twenty minutes later Uncle Anse arrived with 30 or so of my kinsmen." Adaline said ignoring his tone.
"It's a nasty business Adaline, and unfortunately you're in the thick of it." Said Jim.
"I'm not in anything, granted if you come after my husband I'll put you down. For the rest of it, all I can see is bad judgement displayed time and time again, by men, young and old who are filled with hate." Adaline wasn't going to pretend like this feud just happened, her Uncle Anse and Randal McCoy let it happen because of their own pride. "I can see the same hate in you now Calvin, and it's going to get you killed."
"You'd like that wouldn't you," he practically spat at her.
"Why would I like that Calvin? You and I were dear friends before you're daddy made it clear I wasn't good enough for you, if it weren't for that, he would probably be yours." She said looking at Joseph.
At that Calvin softened, as though somehow hearing Adaline say it validated how he had felt over the years.
"Have you seen Rosanna lately?" Jim asked.
"Yes, she seemed in better spirits especially after I let her know how poorly things were working out for your cousin Nancy after she married Johnse." They both laughed and then shook their heads.
"Thanks Addy," Jim said sincerely, "I know you take food up to her and Aunt Betty."
"Least I could do, poor Rosanna has been mistreated by Hatfield's and McCoy's alike." Adaline said solemnly.
Both the boys looked hurt upon hearing that, on account of the fact that they knew it to be true.
"What are you doing out here anyway Addy?" Calvin's tone had softened completely.
"Looking for land, Cap has promised me babies when the feuding is done, and I am looking at how I'm going to provide for them."
"When the feuding is done?" Calvin asked.
"It's hard to sustain this kind of hate forever Calvin, you'll either all die or grow weary of it." Adaline said simply, "and if it's not soon, then you'll all have to start answering to me." She said seriously.
"I hope you get everything you want Addy," Jim offered, he had always struck Adaline as being the most sensible of the McCoy's.
"Well, you'll forgive me if I don't have the same hope for you won't you Jim; I'm afraid our hopes may be at odds with each other."
Adaline turned as she heard a group of horses coming up behind her, she couldn't make them out, and she noticed both Jim and Calvin readied their rifles. Adaline brought her horse around to get a better look at who was approaching. It was Hatfield's, she could spot Cap from a mile off, but she was surprised to see them down out of the hills.
She turned to Jim, "Run, it's my kin, get!"
Jim looked to Calvin who was ready to bolt, and they were off toward Pikeville.
The Hatfield's pulled up when they got to Adaline, deciding it may not be wise to pursue to McCoy's further into Kentucky. The men circled Adaline, Cap stayed in formation, as Anse rode forward.
"And what has been happening here?" Anse said, his tone cutting.
Adaline laughed, she knew she shouldn't have; being so close to the lot of them she often forgot how ruthless and violent they could be.
"Uncle Anse, I was just talking to Jim and Calvin." She looked over at Cap who had a wild look on his face, "I've been out exploring with Joe."
"You and the McCoy boys often ride around together?" Anse's tone was accusatory at the least.
"Anse, stop it." Adaline taking him seriously now. "Thank you for leaving them be; but I think we should get back across the Tug now."
"Jim and Calvin, who would shoot any of us down given the chance, you're grateful for us lettin' them go Adaline?" Devil Anse asked.
"Yes Uncle Anse, for the sake of my soul and my boy, I'm glad you didn't gun down two more of Sally McCoy's children." She looked toward Cap pleading.
Riding past Anse she went to Cap, who looked as angry as any of the others, but she smiled at him anyway.
"Not that I'm not happy to see y'all, but what are you doing this side of the Tug in the middle of the afternoon?" Adaline asked Cap.
The group of men closed in on her, "Don't concern yourself with what we're doing. You tell us what you were doing with your friend Calvin McCoy, while your husband is forced to hide in the hills because of them?" Uncle Jim added his two cents.
"It was coincidence," she said getting closer to Cap, "do you want to see what I was actually doing here?" She reached out for Caps hand, but he pulled it away. "Clearly not," she added.
She swallowed hard as she tried to measure what this group of men, her loving family, were thinking. Joe put his little hand on hers and she pulled him in under her arms.
"See Adaline, there appears to be a spy in our Hatfield camp, and here we come across you riding with Ran'l McCoy's sons, one of which you have had a long friendship with." Anse said.
"Please tell me you're joking Anse?" Adaline said rolling her eyes. "It's so nice to see you by the way, what has it been? Two years?" Adaline looked at Cap and shook her head in disbelief, she turned her horse and rode for home.
Adaline could hear the hooves as the group of men followed after her, it made her nervous being out in the open with so many wanted men with Joe with her. The thought made her ride faster, and soon she was riding up into her own barn, she lifted Joe as she jumped off the horse, minding if any of her kin had followed her.
Walking out of the barn, she saw that the men had tied their horses around the back, she walked past them and into her home not looking at a single one. Adaline put Joe in his room and told him to stay there until she came and got him, then walked up the hall to her own room. As she sat down on her bed, she could hear the sound of many pairs of boots in the house. Cap walked in and she stood up, "What is go…." He struck her across the face, and she fell back to the bed.
"What have you done Adaline?" He yelled at her. She looked up at him, and he was so angry. It was clear that Adaline had misjudged the gravity of the situation.
"Cap," she said touching her face where he had struck her, "what has happened?"
He was pacing back and forth in front of her, she went to stand up again and he pushed her back down; this time she hit the floor and decided it may be best to stay there.
Cap went to sit in the chair and Adaline pulled her side arm out, and pointed it at her husband, Cap looked up at her. Slowly she got to her feet with her hand shaking.
"Tell me what is going on Cap or get out." She said plainly, her head hurt and she could taste blood in her mouth.
"Emmett and Floyd have been killed making their usual run for supplies." He said.
Adaline grimaced upon hearing that news, neither of them would've been thirteen. She lowered her gun and sat on Caps lap, he took the gun from her hand and let her fall into his chest as she wept.
"By McCoy's?" she asked.
"Who else?" Cap asked.
"McCoy's aren't the only ones with evil in their hearts Cap," she said regretting it.
"You would say that." He replied coolly.
"Cap, do you think that I have given the McCoy's information that would get my baby cousins killed?" she looked up at him. "You must if you're this angry with me. Did you before you saw me with the McCoy boys just now?"
"No, but it seemed pretty clear as we rode up on you. They want me dead Addy, and you defend and protect them." He said looking defeated. "You just pulled a gun on me."
"You've never hit me before, and it scared me." She sat up to look at him, "If you hit me again, I will pull on you, again. Do you understand?"
He nodded, and she kissed him gently and then realised there was blood coming from her lip.
"I'm sorry," Cap said looking at her lip, his brow furrowed and he shook his head, "I'm so sorry."
Adaline knew that he was, but it was the first time she saw in him what Nancy McCoy only saw in him. She knew that she wasn't the only one of them with a bad temper, but Cap striking her had taken her by surprise.
As she walked down the hall to Joe's room, she stopped to look in the mirror, cleaning the blood from her face before her son saw her. Adaline had always pitied Rosanna, on account of how quickly her family rejected her, always thinking that she could never imagine her own doing that. The thought that her own husband had thought the worst of her, that Cap had struck her, and the thought of her dead cousins, was all overwhelming.
Sinking against the hallway wall, and lowering herself to the boards, she touched her lip and there was blood on her fingers. Adaline could feel the eyes of Jim and Anse on her, Cap walked down the hall and bent down to look at Adaline, he went to touch her face and she flinched, pushing his hand away.
"Don't touch me." she moved away from him, pulling herself to her feet and going into Joe's room.
Adaline sat on Joe's bed and started to tickle his ribs so he didn't think there was anything wrong, she picked him up and took him out to the kitchen and sat him at the table. As she lifted the kettle to put it on the boiler she could see her hand was still shaking.
Anse walked into the kitchen, and stopped in front of her, reaching out to her face she turned away; and he looked ashamed.
"We'll be staying the night." Anse told her.
"Well then you can fix your own supper." She said trying to hold onto some semblance of control of her own home.
Adaline sat with her son as he ate and then put him to bed, taking herself off to bed straight after. The men were loud as they all gathered in the kitchen, attempting to make their own dinner and raiding the pantry, as she lay in bed listening to them laugh, like today had been nothing.
Adaline had always known that Cap had a violent streak, but she never thought she would be on the other end of it. As Cap climbed into bed with her, he pulled her closer, and moved his hands toward her thighs.
"Don't Cap," she said coolly.
"I never get to see you Addy, can't we put it behind us?"
"Do you want to know what your wife was actually doing on the Kentucky side of the Tug today?" Adaline asked, sitting up and leaning over him.
"Yeh, I guess I do." Cap wasn't sure if he did or didn't want to know at this point.
"I have just bought the land that the road to Pikeville goes through, 2000 acres along the Tug, ready for a tobacco crop. So that when you and I have our babies, each of them will get their own little piece of heaven to start their families when the time comes."
He reached over to kiss her, and she let him.
"And then my husband and his kinsmen let me know how little they think of me," Adaline rolled back to her side of the bed, "So, no Cap, I don't think I can just put it behind me for now."
Cap pulled her back across to him and rolled her onto his chest and kissed the top of her head, as he lay awake in the dark he could feel her hot tears rolling onto his skin. He knew that their quick assumptions, and his heavy hand had damaged any headway he may have made with Adaline.
When Adaline woke, Cap was no longer in bed with her; wrapping her jacket around her she went out into the kitchen. Cap was sitting in front of the fire with Joe on his lap reading to him; Adaline couldn't quite equate the man she saw in front of her, to the angry man that had struck her last night.
Adaline wanted to keep the two of them in that moment forever; and she walked over to them both kissing them atop of their heads. As Cap continued his reading, Adaline began to cook breakfast for fifteen men, she had no idea where they had slept, but could see the toll they had had on her once neat pantry; Mrs Tait would have a fit when she saw it.
Slowly the men started to rise and sit down at the dining room table, where Adaline had started taking out plates of eggs, ham, toast and tomatoes.
"I'm going to go into Pikeville today and see the Sheriff about the boys, see if he has any information for us." Adaline said to her Uncle Anse as he came to sit in the other arm chair next to Cap, while Adaline continued to cook more eggs.
"Adaline, I don't want you go anywhere near that place." Anse instructed.
"I have to go in any way to file the paperwork on the Kentucky land." Sometimes she thought her Uncle may have forgotten how often she had to do business in Pikeville on account of the families expanding holdings. "I'm not convinced that the McCoy's did this, and I want to find out who did. Where were they found?" Adaline asked, wondering if the rest of her families' location had been exposed.
"In the Tug River Valley, half way between here and the hill holds." Anse said, reflecting on it himself.
"And the wagon was taken?" Adaline continued.
"Apparently it was found mostly emptied yesterday morning in the old cut at the base of the valley."
"So, they were robbed, and whoever robbed them either is held up on our land close to where the boys were found, or, the goods were transferred to another wagon they brought with them." Adaline was mulling over scenarios in her head.
"Uncle Anse," Adaline had reached the end of her thoughts, "what do I do once I find out who did it?"
Cap looked up at his father, "You get us Addy, and we deal with it."
Adaline walked into the Sheriff's office, almost expecting to see Old Randall holed up in there with his deputies. Mr Phillips was sitting at the desk, and in the cells she saw Selkirk McCoy and Alex Messer; Phillips looked up and smiled wryly at her.
"Well to what do we owe the pleasure, Mrs Hatfield?" Phillips looked like a cat looking at a rat.
"It's hardly a pleasure Mr Phillips, I've come to enquire about my cousins that were found murdered yesterday and to hear what the sheriff and his deputies are doing about it." Adaline was not in the mood for his slow talking, gun-slinging idioms.
"Well, we don't have much I'm afraid. But perhaps your kin did something to inspire those boys to get murdered?" Phillips squinted and then smiled at her again.
"Is that your confession Mr Phillips or are you pointing the finger at the McCoy family?" Adaline was up for a fight.
"I'm just saying that your family has a way of exciting people to violence." He said raising his eyebrows in a way that made her blood boil.
"Mr Phillips, you're exciting me to violence right now with you evasive nature. If you have no information, that is fine, I have very little faith in your ability to sit in this office anyhow." She turned and walked over the cells, "Hi boys, how are you holding up?"
"We're OK Addy," Alex replied, "We don't think the McCoy's had anything to with Emmett and Floyd from what we've been hearing."
"Yeh Addy, it sounds more like an ambush." Selkirk added.
"I agree," she said nodding. "What are your lawyers saying about getting you out of here?" Adaline realised that even though the only Hatfield's the deputies had managed to kill or kidnap weren't actually Hatfield's, Adaline should be doing more for their case.
"Perry Cline is representing at the moment," Selkirk said.
"That won't do," Adaline shook her head, if ever there was a conflict of interest, "I'm going to bring my man in from Mates Creek to see you, he's out of a firm in Charleston and will crush that peckerwood, Perry Cline."
"Those are big words for a little girl, Addy." Phillips said clearly eavesdropping.
"Don't pretend a man like you has any time for Perry Cline, Mr Phillip's." She said turning back to Selkirk, "I'll be back in a few days." She nodded to them.
"Much appreciated." Selkirk replied.
As they had been sitting here listening to all that transpired, Adaline decided to just ask Selkirk what had happened. He was convinced that McCoy's had had nothing to do with it, and Adaline and he came closer and she told him of what happened yesterday and that they're convinced there was a spy in their camp, and Selkirk agreed, after the speed with which Mr Phillips had located him even though he was incognito.
Adaline then rode to Mates Creek, to seek out her lawyer to file papers and go and visit the Pikeville sheriff. Her lawyer assured her that he would look into it, and that he had little time for Perry Cline.
Adaline then stopped by the store to put in another order of supplies to replace those stolen when the boys were ambushed. Billy looked up and was pleased to see her.
"Mrs Hatfield," it was common knowledge now that Adaline had re-married, "I'm glad you're here. There's a man out back that wants to sell us some supplies."
As Adaline followed Billy out the back of the store to meet the man who was waiting there with a wagon load.
"How can I help you Sir," Adaline asked.
"Yes hello ma'am," said the man nodding nervously, "I got some wares and dry goods to offload and was wondering if you were in need here?"
Adaline cast her eye over his wagon and didn't need to guess that this was the stolen load, she could recognise her initials on the side of one the crates; she used to mark anything that she had ordered for her kin so Billy knew not to sell it. The whiskey, tobacco and firearms were all gone from what she could see, but most of the dry goods and linen remained.
"Well let me have a look," Adaline said casually casting her eye over it as if to inspect it, and then nodded, "I'll give you $50 for the load."
"$60." Bargained the man.
"OK, sorry what did you say your name was?" Adaline questioned.
"Tom Smith, ma'am, thank you." He said shaking her hand.
"Billy here will pay you. Good day sir. Billy, I will be back in two days' time."
Billy noddedd.
Adaline knew that this so called "Tom Smith" had had something to do with her cousin's murders, she saddled up and waited for the man to pull his wagon around back. Adaline knew to be patient when she was tracking her target and hung well back so as not to draw attention.
The man started out of town and through the woods for around 4miles before turning down the road that lead to the old school house, the trees in this part where thin of foliage and Adaline dropped further back to remain concealed. She could see smoke coming from a fire out the front of the abandoned building, she could see around three other men there aside from 'Tom Smith'.
Adaline quietly retreated and then at a pace, headed up deep in the hills to find Cap. As she grew closer she heard the familiar whistles singing overhead of her until Cap came riding to meet her with several others. Adaline was breathless from riding so hard.
"I found 'em," She said, "I saw about four of them holed up in the old school"
"How'd you find them Addy?" Cap asked, surprised at his wife's fast investigation.
"One came in the store and sold me my own goods back," she said shaking her head, and breathing steadied, "and then I tracked him back to the others".
"Good work," Cap said nodding, "Really good work Addy."
The group of men left off down the hill, Adaline followed and then her Uncle Jim rounded back on her.
"You go up and see your Aunt 'Vicy, and let Anse know we're we've gone. We'll take care of this one Addy."
Adaline just nodded, she knew there was no point in arguing. She hadn't seen Levicy for so long, as she never ventured up to the hills for fear of being followed. She would be the easiest one to track movements, on account of the routine she kept with the businesses and her child. It had been agreed early in the piece when word got out about her and Cap being married, that she would only put them all at risk.
Today she had been so out of routine that she had not feared being followed, and if they were going to do it, Phillips would've done it from his own office.
Dismounting outside their cabin, Levicy came out and met her, giving her a warm embrace. She then stepped back to take in the site of her niece, "You haven't changed a bit Addy"
"Nor have you Aunt 'Vicy, but I hear you have two more wee bubs for me to meet?" Adaline smiled.
Levicy stepped closer and turned Adaline's face to see the mark that her son had left, she just shook her head in disappointment, "Anderson told me what happened, I'm sorry dear. Please tell me you will steer clear of those McCoy's from now?"
"It's not like I sought them out 'Vicy, it was all just bad timing. I don't know how it could've happened any different, given the circumstances." Adaline explained. "But make no mistake, this feud is changing them, changing all of them."
"That's mighty big of you, your younger self would've written them all off!"
Mrs Tait was staying at Adaline's home, an arrangement she made that morning, not knowing where the day would be leading her in pursuit of her cousins killers.
Adaline walked into the cabin, and explained what had unfolded to her Uncle Anse.
"I'm sure they will make light work of them Addy, fear not."
"I know, but there's more dangers to them down there than just a few murdering thieves, that Frank Phillips really got stuck in my craw today."
Levicy started fixing supper while Adaline fussed over her new little brother and sister. Levicy looked at her, "When are you and Cap going to start having babies?" Levicy nodded toward her young ones, "You've been married two years now,"
"And I have seen him three times in two years, yesterday being the third and today being the fourth." She said raising her eyebrows, "So, I'm guessing not anytime soon." She said sadly.
"Well, you may need to change that dear." Levicy said raising her eyebrows, and patting her husband on the back.
"I know, you've not had an easy run of it so far. And I know that last night won't have made it any easier for you Adaline, but you've got to give him some understanding; this is all taking its toll on him too." Anse said, regretting the changes he had seen in Cap.
"I know that Uncle Anse, and I don't blame him for his reaction, just for allowing the thought to occur in the first place." Adaline didn't want to quarrel, it may be the only time she got to see her family in another two years.
A few hours later, they heard the distant whistles and the horses come up outside of the cabin. They looked at each other as Anse went outside.
Cap and Uncle Jim walked inside the cabin and sat at the kitchen table, they were in a jovial mood which Adaline guessed was a good thing.
"We got 'em Addy," Cap said without giving any more detail.
Levicy was fixing them both a plate, "Well it won't be of much comfort for their mothers now, but in time they will rest easier knowing that there boys have been revenged." She said firmly, as if from experience.
"Yes I think you're right Aunt 'Vicy," Adaline said swallowing, "I often feel a loose thread tugging at me, not knowing who did my Joseph in."
Adaline could feel Uncle Jim look at Cap at the mention of Adaline's first husband, but Addy knew it would not bother Cap her mentioning him. And if it did, she did not care. After supper she headed upstairs with Cap as it neared on midnight, she couldn't remember the last time she slept anywhere other than her own bed and it felt foreign to her to be turning in, in this cabin in the woods.
Adaline undressed realising that she would just have to sleep in her singlet and draws, Cap came up behind her and reaching around in front put his hands down her front until he found what he was looking for, his other hand finding her breast; he squeezed her nipple gently and Adaline had to check herself. Suddenly she was very conscious of the small room in the small cabin, and the ease at which noise would travel between rooms.
There was one part of her that wanted to continue to punish him for how he had treated her, but there was also the other part of her that was desperate for another child.
She turned to face Cap removing his shirt and then underdoing the cord on his draws and pushed him gently towards the bed, putting her finger to her lips, "Ssh", she smiled.
Loosening her own draws and removing her singlet, she straddled Cap who was sitting up against the headboard. Lowering herself slowly onto him, Cap moved his hands about her to help.
Adaline kissed him gently as she slowly began moving up and down on him, she had never tried it this way before but couldn't see why it wouldn't work and it allowed her to be in control for once. Cap let her move at her own pace, working up and down on him fast and then slow, watching her intently as she took the lead. As it was clear that she had had her fill, she started kissing him again, and he gently rolled her beneath him as he picked up the intensity, covering her mouth to muffle any sound she may make incidentally.
When he finished he went to lay on top of her, but Adaline pulled out his grip and turned on her side away from him.
Adaline woke to the morning light shining through the window, Caps arms were around her, and he kissed her neck.
"I'm going to put a baby in you yet." He whispered in her ear.