Over the next few weeks, Elizabeth lived on in a haze, feeling both excited and guilty about what they had done, the feelings she'd had and, most of all, the wicked things she'd done to herself almost every night since their encounter. She worked hard during the days, as did everyone else on the ranch, and had little time to think of anything other than work but at night, in bed, she couldn't avoid thinking about and doing all the things her brother had taught her. Her fantasies always involved him touching her, kissing her, playing with her body and making love to her.
She was bewildered by the sudden raw sexual feelings and the attraction she felt for him - her own brother. Since that night in town every time she was in his presence she was filled with an overpowering longing and desire for him. Away from the eyes of the rest of the world their relationship had also changed becoming more sensuous, full of subtle touches, soft laughs, teasing and private glances.
Six weeks after their adventure an itinerant trader had come to the ranch selling clothes, cutlery, soap and other assorted items. Although she had been tempted by some of the items of clothing and costume jewellery she didn't buy anything but watched in amusement as the cowboys used their pay to purchase a variety of items, some useful but some frivolous.
The next day, right after breakfast, John surprised her with a little velvet box.
"It's for you, Beth! It reminded me of your eyes."
Thinking that it was a present he'd bought from the trader she was surprised and delighted when she opened the box to find a silver brooch in the design of a flower encrusted with sapphires in many shades of blue - Montana blue, sapphire blue and aurora borealis blue. It was delicate and beautiful and clearly not a piece of cheap jewellery from an itinerant trader but an item which could only have been purchased from a big-city jeweller.
"Oh, John, it's beautiful! Thank you, I really love it. But you shouldn't spend your money on me, I'm only your sister. This must have cost you a fortune." He took the brooch from her hands, helped her to remove the cameo brooch she usually wore, which had been a present from her dead husband, and replaced it with his gift.
"Now, let me have a look at it. Yes, it matches the colour of your eyes just as I imagined it would." In a more solemn tone he added, "in future whenever I look at you I want to see you wearing jewellery that
I
have given you and not some another man." He took her in his arms and gave her a tender kiss on the mouth before adding,
"See you at lunch." With that he left leaving her with a foolish smile on her face and feeling stunned by the unexpected gift.
In her heart she knew he was trying to seduce her and that the present was merely part of the seduction process. She knew he wanted more from her than she had already given, but she didn't know how to proceed or if she was really prepared to accept what she knew would be the next and ultimate step in their relationship.
The next day, she spent the afternoon working in the ranch garden where she grew an assortment of vegetables, including tomatoes and okra, along with herbs such as jasmine, rosemary and dill. When she finished, she was covered in dust and dirt and was anxious to wash it off. She entered the house where Mrs. Bennett had just finished preparing dinner.
"Mrs. Bennett, could you please take care of the children for a while?" she asked as she poured hot water into a small wooden bath-tub in the room adjacent to the kitchen, "I'd like to freshen up before dinner."
"Certainly my dear, I'll take the boys to the corral so they can take a look at the new horses. That will give you more time to make yourself presentable for dinner."
The housekeeper took the sleeping baby from the cradle and called to Michael,
"Come on Michael, let's go and see the new horses that arrived today. Would you like that?"
The boy laughed with delight and raised his little hand to her. Taking his hand in hers and holding the baby in her left arm she walked slowly towards the corral leaving Elizabeth alone in the house.
