Levicy's next lesson was taught out of necessity. Anse came down with a hacking case of pleurisy after he and Cap finished the flooring to the annexed room where Cordelia slept with her new husband. This was not his first bout with the condition and Levicy was strung raw by it, her sleep interrupted by his incessant coughing and spitting through the night.

Silently, the two women worked side by side on a poultice and tonic for him. Garlic and a few other medicinal plants were ground with honey. Though Cordelia's knowledge in healing had been nurtured by the professional medical community that hadn't used such methods in years, she took to the skill naturally. It made sense to use some of the plants they employed in their methods to reduce inflammation and soothe chest pain just as easily as the bottled medicinal her father had trusted.

"You've got a good hand at this," Levicy offered, wiping a sheen of sweat from her brow. They had stocked the wood stove to the brim to ward off the winter chill from their patient. "I'm not surprised though."

Cordelia's warm face turned a brighter shade of pink despite her pride. It was the first word of praise she had received from the woman. It pleased her to hear it. "I'm enjoying this, its very interesting."

"I'm glad one of us is enjoying this," Anse wheezed in the other room.

Levicy snorted, her eyes close on Cordelia's work and hands perched on her hips. "I'm just thankful for a daughter-in-law with knowledge in these areas. A doctor's child. With how much trouble this family gets into, you have your work cut out for you."

She just happened to mention trouble as Jim Vance walked into the sweltering kitchen. Cordelia stiffened. His gaze slid apathetically over her as Levicy met him at the door. Ever since the wedding, his manner had been chilly towards her. Cordelia didn't mourn the fact. She hated him now as much as she did that night. She turned back to her work as Jim moved into Anse and Levicy's bedroom.

There were more whispers of Bad Frank and his McCoy cronies antagonizing folk close to the Hatfield family. Now that she was technically a part of the clan, Cordelia found her interest piqued. Her fate was bound to her husband's. For the time being at least.

Cordelia moved subtly to the other side of the table while Levicy was fussing over her youngest daughter's mess of a face after she had milked the cows. Perking her ears in the direction of the bedroom, she caught pieces of the conversation accented occasionally by Anses's coughing. They'd had the gall to raid the church and accost the pastor. Cordelia couldn't imagine Jim McCoy had been a part of such a travesty.

"What do you propose?" Jim Vance asked.

Devil Anse spit between his labored breaths. "Cut off the head of the snake."

Cordelia's hands froze and her eyes trailed over to the bedroom. Jim Vance shot her a withering look of disdain and gently shut the door behind him. Cordelia shivered despite the overwhelming warmth in the room. Such a clandestine conversation between the two men would only mean one thing; more blood. She wished Uncle Wall had been present, his common sense would have been indispensable between those two men. Though in the past few weeks, she had even grown wary of the level headed Judge. He was too bound up in things. They all were.

The door swung open and the wind banged it against the wall. Cordelia gasped as though it was Bad Frank himself barging into their safe haven. Cap smirked and shut it firmly behind him.

"Be more careful with that, we don't need another thing around this place to fix," his mother groused, pushing past him. "Cordelia, finish that up. I'll be picking through the last of that winter patch of onion out there. There has to be something left..." Levicy muttered to herself as she tucked the edges of her shawl around her waist, her forehead creased with worry. Cordelia wondered if her anxiety was because of the lack of onions in the sparse garden or the secret meeting occurring in the bedroom.

Left alone, Cap removed his hat and shot a narrow eyed look towards the stove. "It's hot as blue blazes in here."

"Your father is still poorly. We can't have his fever getting any higher," Cordelia replied succinctly.

He ambled up behind her where she stood at the table. Hands planted firmly on her hips, he pulled her body towards him and leaned towards her ear. The warm room was suddenly stifling. Her hands stilled and her eyes slid shut as he brushed his lips down the side of her throat.

"Your ma comes back in here with you like this..." she forced from her mouth

With a lazy hand, he brushed the stray strands of hair sticking to her neck and continued his trail of kisses down the edge of her jaw. "What can she say? You're my wife."

"It's still unseemly."

"No. Unseemly is how I can't keep my thoughts clear during the day when all I want is you right back in that bed." He settled his arms around her breast. "We keep playing with fire like this and you'll be having my baby by next harvest."

The heat under Cordelia's skin died and her extremities went cold.

For the couple weeks they had been man and wife, she found a comfortable compatibility with him. He understood her moods and judged instinctively how to handle them. She found the same uncanny knowing in her own manner towards him. Despite the rough beginning, there was pleasure in their union. They had made love every night since their wedding, even when one or both were beat tired from the day. They always rallied to the occasion the minute skin touched skin. Her body's hunger for him was insatiable.

But a baby...

It was stupid of her not to consider the consequences of their behavior. Of course, under the cover of matrimony, such an event would be understood and even welcomed by their family. This was nothing like Roseanna and Johnse. Cordelia had been accepted by her husband's parents and she had no kin left to object to him. But she hadn't thought so far in advance to such a cementing event.

Her thoughts trailed back to the blood smudged letter from Marshall Rogers hidden in the pocket of a dress in their room. She hadn't been able to let go of it. The act felt so final, like she was burning the last bridge connecting her to that life.

Despite her contented, albeit passionate, existence with Cap Hatfield, she couldn't quite yet open her arms fully to it. But a baby would change all that. The child would be half wild mountains of the Appalachians and half cobblestones and brick of New England. There would be no hope of escape.

Cap tightened his hold on her and planted another kiss behind her ear, letting his hand wander down the curve of her waist. Her thoughts went fuzzy in his embrace and she wondered if escape was something she still wanted. Perhaps this was her new hope, perhaps her heart was learning to love this man like her own flesh.

The door to the bedroom creaked open and Cap had the sense to release her, a boyish grin barely restrained on his face. He let his eyes trail over her once more as though he were undressing her right there in the kitchen before he turned his attention to his Uncle. Cordelia didn't dare look towards them, certain her expression would give her away.

"Where's your brother?" Jim Vance asked.

Cap shrugged casually, leaning against the end of the table. "You need to talk to us?"

"Me and your pap." Jim nodded as Levicy entered the room. A look passed between the two of them.

Levicy strode over to the table and gave a short nod after surveying Cordelia's work. "I think that's enough of that, I need you to help me take the linen off the line now."

As Cordelia passed close by Cap, he subtly let his fingers trail over her palm. Taking strength from that moment of secret intimacy, Cordelia cut past Jim Vance without acknowledging him and followed Levicy out into the brisk, mountain air. Part of her was glad to be excluded from such talk. Despite her curiosity, her dread over what would come hovered close as a shadow. This was not the kind of world to bring a baby into but it was possibly too late for that regret.