Frozen Fancy

by Tabetha Waite

  He looked up and a smile formed on his lips. The sight did something rather strange to her midsection, but she pushed that aside. “What did you have in mind?”

  She thought for a moment. “Poker?” she suggested.

  His eyebrows shot upward. “That’s a rather bold move, Miss Erindelle.”

  “Why?” she countered with a determined lift of her chin. “Because I’m a woman?”

  “No.” He returned with a full grin. “Because I’m the best there is.”

  She laughed, finding that it was rather freeing to do so, and definitely something she had been missing in the past two years. “We’ll see about that, Mr. Cade.”

  After the breakfast dishes were cleared, Elise brought over a deck of cards and laid them on the table.

  “Are we playing for stakes?” her guest inquired.

  “Hmm.” Elise tapped a finger thoughtfully on her lips and said, “I have an idea.”

  She stood up and went to her bedroom. Lifting the lid of her hope chest, she ignored the pang of emotion that passed through her when she gently moved aside her mother’s ivory wedding gown with its delicate pearl beading and tatted trim, and reached for the small wooden box.

  With a smile, she returned to the table and sat down, where she proceeded to empty the coins on the top. Mr. Cade reached out and picked one up, staring at it curiously. “These aren’t like any coins I’ve ever seen,” he murmured.

  “No, they wouldn’t be,” Elise agreed with a touch of fondness in her voice. “They are called ‘love tokens.’ My father made them for my mother. He gave one to her each year that they were married. There are twenty-eight of them.” She picked one up and pointed out various personal notations. “On this side is the year and their initials, and on this one—” She flipped it over. “—is an engraving of a peony, which was my mother’s favorite.”

  “It’s rather romantic,” Mr. Cade said with a certain melancholy in his tone. “I wish I would have thought to do something like that for Martha. She would have loved it.”

  Elise’s smile slipped. “I’m sorry, Mr. Cade. I didn’t mean—”

  He waved off her apology. “There’s nothing we can do about the past. We just have to push forward and hope that tomorrow treats us better.”

  She nodded in silent agreement and split up the coins into even amounts between them.

  He picked up the deck and began to shuffle with all the talent of a riverboat gambler. She had come across a few such rowdy sorts at the inn when they passed by on the Canadian River and stopped for a brief visit when traveling through Charming. Elise had observed some of their game play while Grannie stood at her side and made sure order was kept.

  With this in mind, she asked, “I haven’t just challenged a card sharp, have I?”

  He chuckled. “Rest assured, I’ve never had to resort to trickery to win a hand.” When he was ready to pass out the cards, he said, “Place your ante.”

  She placed two coins on the table between them, which he matched.

  He began to deal, and Elise picked up her cards to reveal two pairs. She did her best to keep her face impassive, but knowing that it would only take one more card to acquire a full house caused a thrill of excitement to shoot through her. It was the same feeling as she observed the gamblers when they’d lain down their hand.

  “Do you need any cards?”

  She discarded the eight of diamonds and said, “One, please.”

  He handed it over and then he selected three from the deck.

  She didn’t even look at the card she was dealt, but said, “I’ll raise you three coins.” She added them to the pot.

  Mr. Cade grinned, his dark eyes assessing. “You’re rather confident for someone who hasn’t even looked at your hand.”

  She shrugged one shoulder. “It’s better that way. Then I don’t give too much away.”

  “But aren’t you afraid that you’ll gamble too much?” he asked curiously.

  “I have nothing to lose, so why not take a risk?”

  ***

  Chauncey had the feeling there was more to the heart of that statement, but since he didn’t wish to pressure her, he said, “Very well. I see your three coins and raise you one more.”

  After the coins were added, she glanced at her cards. He could almost see the wheels in motion as she contemplated her next move. But while she was preoccupied, it gave him the perfect opportunity to observe her.

  He’d never met anyone who had such ice blond hair. It was definitely a remarkable characteristic, and combined with her dark blue eyes, she was an enchanting woman. It was as if she was an ice queen, cursed to live among the snow in isolation for the rest of her days.

  He still couldn’t believe that she lived in this cabin all alone and so far from civilization. He’d thought it was a crime when he discovered that she wasn’t married. He burned to know why, but since he would soon be on his way, he decided there was no use becoming close with someone he intended to leave behind. There was still a hole in his heart, and he wasn’t sure it could ever be completely filled. He blamed himself for his wife and son’s deaths, even though there was no way he could have known the tragic circumstances on that fateful day when they were taken from him. But it didn’t matter. He had been fully aware of the growing restlessness among the traders, and he should have taken better precautions when it came to protecting his family.

  It was a burden he would have to carry for the rest of his days. At one point he’d been so despondent that he was ready to lie down and never get up again, but that was about the time a lopsided hound had approached him with those big, brown eyes. Beau had saved him as surely as he had rescued the mongrel.

  “Three more.”

  She slid over her set, and he tossed her the replacement hand. “Didn’t get what you wanted?” he asked.

  She rolled her blue eyes at him. “I can’t tell you that. It would spoil the surprise when I beat you.”

  Again, he chuckled. As she began to relax, he could see that, not only did she have a sharp wit, but she was also rather good company. He could imagine sitting around the fire in the evenings with her in quiet camaraderie while Beau relaxed at their feet. It was a pleasant scene, but one he didn’t want to fantasize about too closely.

  The slight truth that he’d concealed from her should be enough of a warning to move on as soon as the storm passed.

  He shifted in his seat as a pang of guilt struck him.

  “Getting nervous, Mr. Cade?”

  He snorted at her teasing tone. “Hardly.”

  “In that case…” She added four coins to the pot. “I call two and raise you another two.”

  “The stakes are getting pretty high,” he murmured. He tossed in the requisite amount and tapped his hand on the table. “Your move, Miss Erindelle.”

  She laid down a full house with a preening smile.

  Chauncey thought of the royal flush that he had in his possession and sighed heavily. He didn’t have the heart to wipe the delight from her face. It would likely occur soon enough in his presence. He set his cards face down on the table. “I fold.”

  She grinned and scooped the coins toward her. “Shall we play another round?”

  He nodded, his eyes steady on her lovely face. “Of course, Miss Erindelle.”

  ***

  That night, when Elise changed for bed, a light smile touched her face. She had played cards with Mr. Cade most of the morning, until it was time for luncheon. She was running low on eggs, so he offered to trek out to the cellar for her. While she was still a bit anxious around him, the story he’d told her had touched her heart. Granted, it could have merely been a tale meant to dupe her into letting her guard down, but she’d seen the pain behind his dark eyes, even if the boy in the picture didn’t look exactly like his father.

  She took the box of tokens and lovingly tucked them back into her hope chest. Before she shut the lid, she stroked a hand over the delicate material of her mother’s wedding dress. There had been a ti
me when she’d imagined she might have worn it on her own special day when she married someone who loved her as her father had adored her mother. But when it became obvious that most of the boys she’d grown up with in Charming looked at her as though she was some sort of oddity to be shunned, and without any other opportunities to meet someone new, she had resigned herself to a lifetime of solitude.

  For two years, she had spent endless days and even longer nights in this isolated cabin, never thinking that life could be any different from this.

  All it took was a single night in a blustery snowstorm for her to imagine that what she’d always thought had been acceptable might no longer be an option. As much as she loved her flowers, perhaps it was time she moved on, away from Charming. Maybe she should leave Texas altogether and head back East. There was no rule that said she had to stay here, other than it was the place her parents had decided to settle all those years ago because it had been quaint and…well, charming. Just because this happened to be their path didn’t mean hers had to follow the same.

  And she wouldn’t be young forever. What would happen when she got to be Grannie’s age? The idea of dying alone without anyone to check on her for days wasn’t appealing in the slightest. She didn’t want to just…disappear without anyone around to celebrate that she’d been alive. If Mr. Cade’s arrival had taught her anything, it was that she had to live without regret. He was carrying around the burden of the loss of his wife and son.

  What did she have to show for herself?

  Chapter Five

  The snow was still coming down rather heavily the next morning when Elise awoke. She stared at the large, crystalized flakes and wrapped her woolen shawl more tightly around her. It had been quite some time since she’d stared out at such a continuous, silent blanket of white. She didn’t think there had been such a storm of this magnitude since she was a child.

  At this rate, who knew how long Mr. Cade would be forced to stay.

  She shivered, but it wasn’t due to the cold.

  She hastily washed from the chilled water from her pitcher and dressed for the day in a light blue dress, complete with a rabbit fur collar. It was her favorite, and not only because it was one of the last things that her mother had made for her. It was warm and perfect for a brisk, winter’s day. She needed to check on her flowers again, for during the winter months they needed continual care.

  She brushed her hair and braided it into the same, single plait that she favored for it was the most practical, and opened her bedroom door.

  The first thing she noticed was the wonderful curl of warmth that enveloped her, followed by the enticing aroma of coffee and crackling bacon. She saw Beau sleeping by the fire, and when she glanced toward the cooking stove, she saw that Mr. Cade was standing over it. For a moment, all she could do was stare. It was just so… strange to see a man actually cooking in her kitchen.

  Or anywhere in her cabin at all.

  With his back to her, she couldn’t help but notice how his shirt hugged those wide shoulders and the way his trousers fit so snugly around his hips and muscular thighs…

  She quickly averted her eyes, as her heart began to pound. Her father had been gone for five years. Had it truly been so long since she’d felt the comforting touch of a man’s strong arms around her?

  “I hope you don’t mind that I started breakfast.”

  Elise opened her eyes, not even realizing that she had closed them. She met Mr. Cade’s direct gaze and then turned away. “It’s fine. Thank you.”

  She moved to the other side of the room and sat down in a chair as far away from her guest as possible. She picked up her nearly forgotten mending and kept all of her concentration on each painstaking stitch. Out of all the chores she had to do as a single woman on her own, sewing was the one thing she detested the most. She didn’t mind doing the wash, or even chopping wood in the autumn. She’d just never quite found a particular talent for sewing.

  She jumped as she suddenly pricked her finger, instinctively bringing the wounded appendage to her mouth to suck the small bead of blood away.

  “Let me see that.”

  Elise gasped as Mr. Cade knelt before her. She hadn’t even heard him cross the room. He gently removed her hand from her mouth and inspected the damage.

  Tears stung her eyes, but it wasn’t because of the brief pain she’d felt. It was because he was holding her hand, acting as though he cared what happened to her. She stared at the top of his dark head, her eyes roaming over that strong, bearded jawline.

  And when he lifted his eyes, her breath caught. She could almost drown in those dark orbs, and for a brief instant, she thought she saw a similar reaction in his gaze, but then he stood and released her hand.

  “I think you’ll be fine,” he said huskily, and then returned to the stove.

  It was only when he was some distance away that Elise was able to breathe again.

  ***

  Chauncey grasped the handle of the cast iron skillet with a white-knuckled grip. However, since he didn’t wish to break Miss Erindelle’s things, he forced himself to relax. He exhaled slowly. He didn’t know what was wrong with him this morning. Perhaps it had been the easy companionship that they’d shared the day before, or the fact he had missed mornings like this, with someone to share them with.

  But things were different here. He had to remember his place because Elise Erindelle wasn’t his wife, or even his intended. She was merely someone who had shown him a bit of friendly, Texas hospitality.

  After gathering his thoughts and filing them back where they needed to be, he turned and said with a friendly grin, “Breakfast is served.”

  Elise joined him across the table once he’d laid everything out. He glanced at her several times, but she kept her attention firmly fixated on her plate.

  Finally, she broke the silence. “This is really good.”

  “Thank you.”

  She lifted her gaze. “Did your wife teach you how to cook back in Canada?”

  And just like that, she made sure to put up that invisible barrier between them by reminding him he was merely a visitor here, and that he didn’t belong.

  He shook his head. “No. Actually my mother taught me. I can also make several herbal remedies if the occasion warrants it.”

  A light smile touched her lips. “My mother was the same. She was known as somewhat of a healer around Charming, but her services weren’t always… welcomed.”

  “Ah.” He knew that feeling all too well. “Many believed her to be a witch, didn’t they?”

  Her eyes widened. “How did you know?”

  “My mother was an Indian. They’ve never been regarded all that favorably. Most of the new European settlers in Canada believed that they practiced dark magic or voodoo, that they were savages like your American tribes. As Métis, Martha and I weren’t any different, as I had that same tainted blood running through my veins.”

  She frowned. “People can be rather closed minded when it doesn’t suit their purpose and open to negotiations when it does.”

  “That’s especially true when it comes to money or politics.” He looked down at his rough, scarred hands. “I’ve wondered if working for the railroad was something I should even continue pursuing. I’ve witnessed some rather brutal treatment, especially the way they treat the Chinese…” He swallowed heavily. “The transcontinental may finally link the Atlantic to the Pacific, but at what cost?”

  They lapsed into silence, for neither of them had the right answer to that. In the end, they both knew it would be the men in the position of wealth and power who would succeed. It had been that way for centuries and wasn’t likely to end anytime soon. Chauncey would like to see a change, and the current War Between the States was just the beginning.

  Elise got to her feet. “I have things to do this morning. My flowers need to be tended.”

  “Of course.” Chauncey stood out of courtesy.

  She eyed him for a moment, and then walked over to the door where she wr
apped her woolen cloak about her. She lifted the hood, slid on her gloves, and walked out into the winter wonderland.

  When she was gone, Chauncey gave a heavy sigh. He should do something to earn his keep here, other than fetching a pail of water the day before.

  But what?

  He set his hands on his hips and glanced about the small interior. His eyes settled on the pile of mending in a basket in the corner. It didn’t take him long to get to work.

  ***

  Elise inhaled the scent of her favorite pink peony and exhaled slowly. It was no wonder it had been her mother’s chosen pick as well, for not only was it lovely in full bloom, but it had a fragrance that would surely rival the most expensive French perfume.

  However, she forced herself to move on to the roses, lilies, and the array of rainbow colored blossoms that filled the hothouse. By the end of spring, most of these would be sold in the village and she’d have to start over from seedlings again.

  It was a lot of work and tender care, but her flowers had always fulfilled the gap in her heart that her mother’s death had torn open.

  She had to pause, gripping the edge of the table as a wave of grief washed over her. Elise closed her eyes and wondered how Mr. Cade managed to do it, to face each day with that sort of burden. He’d lost his wife and his son without warning, innocently murdered in cold blood. At least with her mother, Elise had known she was sick. She’d been given a chance to tell her goodbye, that she loved her, while he’d been denied the same chance.

  She shook her head and pushed away from the table. If Mr. Cade was strong enough to withstand such a loss, then she could too.

  By the time she set down her watering can, Elise was feeling rather restored. Her stomach was rumbling, telling her it was time for lunch, so she threw her cloak back on and started the short walk back to the cabin. She glanced up at the sky and noticed that while the clouds above were still heavy and gray, the snow had ceased for a time. This was good news, for she would have to make a trip into the village in a few days to gather more provisions and she’d rather not traipse down to the valley through a foot of snow.