*Author's Note*

Thank you for the reviews, faves, and follows.

Once again another quick chapter roll out.

I finally settled on a name for the sequel to this. The sequel's name is Surviving With The Devil's Son. That will be posted once this finished, which won't be for another 5-plus chapters. Reckon you can guess who Novella's second husband is just by the title…lol

Oh just saw the promo for Boyd's new movie The Predator while watching pre-season football. Yea, can't wait to see that movie.

Anyways this picks up shortly after the last chapter time wise.

Pennyroyal Tea

Novella POV:

It's been over a week and my husband still hates me. We barely talked, just forced awkward inquiries. He couldn't stand to look at me, he was still so disgusted and disappointed in me. I hurt him bad and he wasn't over it, not yet, since it was still a fresh wound in his heart. Unfortunately for me that meant distance 'tween us 'long wit' a lack in affection and comfort.

Currently Rihanna was takin' a mid-mornin', near afternoon, nap while I was sweepin' up the kitchen floor. I was interrupted by a loud, but quick, knock on the door. I leaned the broom 'gainst the counter 'fore makin' my way to the door. Once I reached the door I opened it, only t'be meet wit' the sight of Cap in his signature black Stetson standin' tall on my front porch.

"Cap, what the hell are ya doin' here?" I asked, a look of shock no doubt on my face.

"Came over to make sure you weren't beaten t'death or somethin'." Cap answered, his deep rollin' tone serious as it rang out in the air 'tween us on the porch.

"Oh…" I sighed while Cap just barged right inside. "You can't just waltz in uninvited." I protested as he made his way 'cross the main room towards the kitchen.

"Can't stay outside on the porch either. Figured you'd be a nice host, serve me coffee an' all that lady like shit proper housewives do." He sarcastically said in his deep wavin' tone as he went over to the kitchen table and took a seat.

"Don't insult me. Sam's Hill, I should beat ya wit' my broom." I told him, enterin' the kitchen an' goin' to the counter my broom was leanin' 'gainst.

"I ain't insultin' ya, sweetlin'." Cap smirked, takin' off his hat. Settin' the black Stetson on the table he said, "Hell, don't be so quick to think the worst of me."

"You're not exactly somebody that should be in my house visitin' wit' me." I countered, holdin' my broom an' starin' him down.

He leaned his elbows comfortably on the table. "I know, but I don't give a rat's ass."

"Clearly…" I sighed under my breath as I began to sweep up the piece of floor I was doin' 'fore he interrupted me.

"You don't got any friends an' my only friends are Uncle Jim an' Skunk Hair, so I figured I'd be cordial to ya. We do share an interest for the law, be nice to talk wit' somebody that understand it."

"Oh, ya would be friends wit' Skunk Hair." I scoffed, rollin' my eyes an' shakin' my head as I moved a few paces while sweepin'. "Your uncle's a judge, talk law wit' him."

"So, you're not puttin' coffee on for us then?" He asked, sarcasm heavy in his deep timbre, as watched me sweep up. His mismatched eyes followin' my every move.

"No, I don't got time for idle chit-chat ov'r a pot of coffee wit' ya. I gotta sweep my floors, clean my house."

"I don't see what for, ain't got a husband that cares 'nough t'come home half the time. Bet his drunk ass don't even notice if the place's clean or not."

Cap's comment struck a nerve, a deep one, an' 'fore I could stop myself I sent the broom in my hand flyin' 'clear cross the room. I was so upset cause deep down I knew his words were true. Out of a pure distressed impulse I grabbed the first thing in sight, which was a wooden rollin' pin on the counter, and flung it to the ground as angry tears began to seep outta my eyes.

I was so wrapped up in my emotional downwards spiral that I forgot all 'bout Cap. I didn't even remember he was 'round til I felt him pull me into a tight embrace. Strokin' my copper hair he told softly tolf me in his deep rollin' timbre, "Calm down, Nova. Sshh, calm down, don't destroy your house over that fool."

Pullin' away slightly so that I could look up into his mismatched eyes I asked in a low whimper, "He's been wit' that whore hasn't he? Tell me, Cap, has Tolbert been seein' Misty lately?"

Only one word came outta his mouth. The one word that I was afraid of hearin', but had'a hear. "Yes."

I wanted to cry 'gain, I felt so betrayed and stupid. I felt tears trying to for, but I quickly blinked them 'way. I couldn't cry 'gain infront of Cap, that'd just make me look pathetic. "He hasn't been 'round much since the kidnappin' incident wit' Johnse happened. I reckon I was hopin'…well it doesn't matter now, he hates me."

"He might hate ya, but ya did the right thing." Cap assured me, or at least tried too. Cap, bein' the brutally blunt man he is, then went on to say, "Honestly tho he's been treatin' ya bad even 'fore this. I don't wanna hurt ya, but he's been drinkin' 'round whores since New Year's Eve."

Since then?! But I thought we were good back then, we had two chil'ren alive an' in good health then.

"I see…" I trailed off, my flowin' voice a bit quiet an' shaky, while slightly noddin' my head.

I had no words to say an' neither did Cap. We just stared at each other, my cornflower blues on his ice-blue eye an' it's milky-white. He had an unreadable look in his lone eye, one I couldn't pinpoint. Hell, reckon my eyes had a beaten-down look in them. I don't know why or how it happened, but suddenly our starin' turned into our lips crashin' 'gainst each other's in a needy desperate kiss.

It was wrong, kissin' him, since I was married an' he was a Hatfield, but in this moment neither one of us cared. We both had somethin' the other needed, or at least that's how it felt as we hungrily kissed. His lips felt smooth pushin' an' glidin' 'gainst mine as his hands found their way into my hair an' on the small of my back. I wasn't even thinkin' as I rested a hand on his chest while usin' the other to clutch his shaggy blonde hair, push his head further into mine.

Our kissin' was raw an' fueled on pure instinct. All the nips an' tugs, bitin' an' lip pullin' was just a result of an instinctual volcano eruptin' 'tween us. Mutually we pulled 'way for for air. Our chests heavin' up an' down, hearts poundin' 'gainst our rib cages, as we looked at each other wide-eyed.

Nancy POV:

I was on my way to visit my Aunt Betty Blankenship an' decided to stop by t'see how Novella was doin'. I heard tell that she rode with Roseanna to warn Devil Anse 'bout the McCoy boys havin' Johnse an' plannin' on killin' him after Bud snitched t'his sister. I was at the edge of the property, getting' ready to turn on in, an' noticed that a strange horse was hitched up to the post by the front door. Who the hell's visitin' wit' Novella? Oh, I got my answer whenever the door to the cabin opened and out walked that one-eyed demon Cap Hatfield. His eyes, well eyy since he's half-blind, was down cast on the ground as he walked down the porch so he couldn't see me in the treeline.

Quickly I snapped my reins, makin' my horses trot an' take my cart down the road. Oh hell, Novella's havin' an affair wit' Cap, no wonder she went wit' Roseanna to warn that demon family 'bout Johnse. I just couldn't believe that Novella'd betray her own kin, her own husband, like that.

I was gonna take the back way 'round t'Uncle Randall's, so that fog-eye Hatfield wouldn't see or run into me, an' then I was gonna go pay Mister Perry Cline a visit. Perry needed t'know what his niece was doin' more than Roseanna an' Aunt Betty needed a visit from me. I'd see them another day.

Perry POV:

I was sitting at my desk in my office whenever the door burst open, nearly makin' the door chime bell fly off. I looked up from my paperwork to see Nancy McCoy stormin' inside, her face pursed in angered disgust. Nancy was a beautiful woman, but was bitter with a heart blacker then her hair. She hated Hatfields ever since her pap Harmon got murdered when she was a child. I knew that I could always count on the young lady to help me in plans and schemes 'gainst the Hatfields. Silently I watched her make her way to my desk, knowing that she must have a good reason for her visit today.

"Ya know what Novella's doin' or perharps I should say who she's doin'?" Nancy asked me in a bitter bite as she plopped down in the chair in front of my desk. Before I could ask what she was talking about she snapped out, "She's havin' an affair wit' the one-eyed demon Cap Hatfield."

"What? You must be mistaken, Nancy. Why are you telling me this?"

"I ain't mistaken, Mr. Perry. I seen it wit' my own eyes." What?! I gave her a curious look which made her go on to say, "I was gonna see if Novella wanted to go wit' me t'visit Roseanna an' Aunt Betty, but I saw his horse on the hitch post 'long wit' him walkin' out the house."

"Oh dear…that's not good…" I sighed out, slumpin' in my chair.

"You know if Tolbert ever found out he'd kill 'em both." Nancy told me with a pointed look.

What has my niece gotten herself into? Oh my goodness, she found herself fooled by the charming words of a Hatfield too. Only her situation's dire compared to Roseanna, my niece is a married woman while Roseanna's single. Being a scarlet woman, an adulteress, is much more frowned upon then being a young unwed pregnant woman. Well, both are shameful, but one's worse. Damnit, Novella, how could you fall into that one-eyed demon bastard's trap? I didn't raise my niece to be like this.

Pointing and waving my finger at Nancy I declared, "Well, we're going to make sure that he doesn't find out. You're going to keep a close eye on Novella and I'm going to convince Tolbert to go home."

"I don't think him bein' home's gonna stop the affair, but if you think so…" Nancy trailed off in a sigh before telling me with a cunning smile, "I know that pennyroyal root prevents pregnancy. I can get some ground up and mix it into the coffee an' tea cannisters at her house."

"Good, that'll ensure that she doesn't stick her husband with a Hatfield bastard to raise."

"I'll go see to the pennyroyal and make sure to see Novella tomorrow, mix it up in the drink grounds."

I nodded my head, giving silent permission for her to leave my office and do what she needed to do. Without a word Nancy nodded and stood up. With a tight smile she left my office.

I needed to get Tolbert to go home, meaning I needed to close down my office for the rest of the day and go talk to him. Uh, that boy's too much to deal with when drunk. First I'll check the saloon, if he's not there getting sauced up with Sam and Parris then I'll have to go to Ole Rand'l and Aunt Sally's to have some words with him.

Hopefully I'll be back before school let's out, but I'll just leave a note on the door for Moses in case I'm not.

Novella POV:

I was dustin' the bookshelf whenever the door creaked opened followed by the sound of bootsteps. "Poppy's home." Rihanna announced from her place on the sofa eatin' a cookie as she watched me dust an' clean.

I turned to look over my shoulder, my feather duster hoverin' over the shelf I was cleanin', an' saw Tolbert shut the door 'fore walkin' further into the main room. "Uh, ya get dinner started yet?" He asked me, his velvet-gruff timbre slightly inaudible.

If I wasn't used to my husband's drunk garble I' be lost on what he said. Continuin' wit' my dustin' I simply answered, "Yea, got some chicken an' rice in the pressure cooker."

"Hmm…" His smooth voice vibrated as he took a seat in his armchair.

"So, you're done early today?" I asked, crouchin' down so that I could dust off the lower levels of the bookshelf.

"Yea, cause yer uncle got me an' told me I needed t'get home." Tolbert snapped at me, irritation high in his smooth timbre. "Ya cryin' t'Perry 'bout our problems?" He asked, no doubt his brows were knitted as his stormy eyes bore a hole into my back.

"No, I didn't, an' we're not talkin' 'bout it infront of Rihanna."

"Oh, so you're usin' our daughter as an excuse not t'admit ya failed as my wife. Hell, not like it matters if we talk 'bout it in front o'her or not since she's half-deaf. Bet half the time she can't hear a lick."

I was seein' red. How dare he insult our daughter like that. I don't understand how he could unfeelingly mock her not havin' the use of her left ear. I was angry that he was so cruel 'bout our daughter's hearin' problems. Wit'out thinkin' I spun 'round an' threw the feather duster in my hand at his head.

Tolbert quickly dodged the duster flyin' by his head, slammin' 'gainst the wall wit' a loud whack. His jaw shook an' his nostrils flared as he got up from his chair snappin', "I ain't dealin' wit' yer shit. I'll be out in the barn checkin' on the dogs."

"Dog, yer old huntin' hound passed 'way yesterday." I told him, lettin' him know the sad event that he'd missed by bein' 'way from home drunk.

Tolbert's shoulders shook as he gave me a dirty look wit' his storm-blue eyes. Silently he stormed out of the house, slammin' the door loudly shut 'hind him.

"Poppy left 'gain." Pipped up my daughter in her sweet little voice, lookin' 'tween me an' the door.

I wasn't sure if Rihanna heard the blow up 'tween me an' her poppy. "He just went out to the barn, he'll be back." I assured her, forcin' lightness in my flowin' tone, as I gave her a small smile while goin' over to retrieve my duster from the floor next to the armchair.

Rihanna just shrugged and nibbled on her cookie 'fore tellin' me, "Poppy's mean. I like Will better. He nice bout my ear."

I just blinked my eyes an' stared at her. I couldn't believe what I had just heard come outta her mouth. She liked Cap, who she only really talked to once, ov'r Tolbert, who was her poppy and lived with her. Wow, that's just…yea…shockin' an' unexpected.

"Poppy doesn't like him. Don't talk bout Will anymore, okay." I told my daughter in a nice, but motherly tone as I made my way back over to the bookshelf with my feather duster in my hand.

"Okay mama." Rihanna simply said, noddin', while continuin' to nibble on her sugar cookie.

AN:

So, what do ya'll think about Novella and Cap? Is Nancy right in her assumption that Novella and Cap slept together or is she wrong and they just stopped at the kiss? Can Novella and Tolbert mend their broke bridge of a relationship or will Novella have an affair with Cap? Yikes, drama drama drama…

In the 1800s and early 1900s the herb Pennyroyal was boiled and steeped in water making a tea. When taken it acted as a natural form of birth control. Pennyroyal Tea was also used for abortions. Basically Pennyroyal Tea is the real life version of Moon Tea from Game Of Thrones, yea… So safe to say Novella won't be conceiving until the sequel.