David pulled away, he as breathless as she. "Do you know what I'm thinking now?" His eyes held a hint of humor.
Maddie felt the heat rise to her cheeks, finding it hard to hold his gaze. Unable to find her voice, she simply shook her head.
"I think you might like a new identity. This one you can keep for a lifetime." He must have seen the question in her eyes, because he chuckled softly, a sound she felt vibrate up from within his chest. "I like the sound of this one. I think Mrs. David Reynolds would suit you perfectly."
Surprised, and yet, as the moment lengthened allowing her to comprehend what he was saying, she saw the truth of it.
Lifting her hands to his face, she cradled it, reading every line, every fleck of gold in those expressive, brown eyes, every promise yet to come. Stretching up on tiptoe, she brought his lovely honest lips to hers.
With any luck, truth might be contagious.
Chapter 34
“Woo Hoo!” Bart’s shout drew a variety of reactions from passengers scattered across Ketchum’s train station.
She hadn’t prepared herself for the enthusiastic response to David’s announcement of their intentions to wed. This idea of marriage, coming so unexpectedly, hadn’t given her time to imagine the next few hours, let alone the implications for the rest of her life.
“The next question is, when,” Lena said.
Tucking Maddie’s hand into the crook of his arm, David held Maddie’s eyes for a long, tender moment. "Can we tell them, it will be soon?"
Still reeling from their encounter with both the Sicilians and Cummings, she found it difficult to assemble a sensible thought. This unexpected flame of desire for David threatened to undo her completely. Finding herself unable to speak, she nodded once, tightening her grip on his coat sleeve.
"That’s wonderful news." Lena seemed to sense Maddie’s emotional state and stopped Evan before he could ask for more details of Cummings’ discovery and subsequent exposure. "I’m sure everyone wants to hear what happened after you jumped on that train and I know Jessie and Ely will be most displeased if they are not present at the telling." She wrapped her arm through Evan’s, saying, "Let’s get everyone back home for some much-needed rest and nourishment."
Evan didn’t look as convinced but shrugged, dutifully taking the lead back home.
Maddie awoke the next morning to a jubilant chorus of song birds serenading her from outside the window. Ketchum had been nearly deforested, the cut trees used to fuel the hungry Philadelphia Smelter. Because the lodging house backed up to a stand of aspen and two young pine trees, it had become a sanctuary as much for wildlife as the house had become one for the humans.
She lay wrapped in the colorful garden quilt, unwilling to move, supremely content with this moment in her life. Curled up beside her, was the sleeping black cat. Maddie reached down, scratching the velvet between her ears. "If I had the vocal anatomy you do, I’d be purring too." The cat stretched languidly close to her side.
Maddie touched two fingers to her lips, the memory of David’s kiss still fresh, filled her with wonder and something new. Squeezing her eyes shut, she smiled with quiet delight, reminding herself that his declaration of love for her wasn’t a dream.
"Havoc, dear kitty, I cannot stay here a moment longer."
Dressing quickly in her favorite blouse and skirt, she spent more time arranging her hair. She lingered for a time, marveling at her image, her flushed cheeks and smiling eyes. Was this how David saw her, the perfect reflection of a happy woman, a woman in love? A shiver of pleasure passed from her scalp to her toes.
Lena and Jessie were the only ones in the kitchen when she stepped through the door. For a moment, she felt a pang of disappointment that David had left early for his office. To her, it seemed the world had shifted and that everything should change as it had for her. Routines didn’t make sense in light of how she felt. In the next moment, she reminded herself that he was an honorable man with clear responsibilities. He would not be the man she had come to love, had he not answered the call to his duty.
That singular realization struck her anew. She had grown to love the young doctor. More amazing yet, he had come to love her. Evan walked in the back door as she stood frozen, still aglow. She startled at his morning greeting.
She spun to see him carrying a parcel of supplies from the mercantile balanced upon a large box.
Lena relieved him of the box, asking, "Did this come by post?"
Tiny smile lines crinkled the corners of his eyes. "Yes, ma’am and it’s addressed to you, Lena."
"Me?"
"Where’s it from?" Jessie asked as she peered around Lena’s arm reading the return address aloud. "Boise City. Who do you know there, for Land’s Sake?"
Lena’s perplexed expression answered the question. She saw her pass Evan a questioning glance. He grinned and shrugged. "Guess you won’t know till you open it."
Moments later, a pile of crumpled newspapers lay strewn about the table. Lena withdrew a wide-brimmed hat, adorned with peach-colored ribbons and velvet trim the color of new grass. Elegant, as well as tasteful, Maddie judged it perfect for Lena’s conservative style of dressing.
Jessie clapped her hands, laughing with delight. "Oh, it suits you! Do try it on!"
"Well, I think it appropriate to see if I can find a note from the giver first." Lena passed the hat into Jessie’s eager hands while she extracted a folded piece of stationary. She scanned the hand-written note, her expression sliding from puzzlement to surprise, until resolving itself into bemusement. She passed the note to Evan. "It’s from a friend of yours."
Maddie picked up the teasing tone and the slight lift of one eyebrow. Evan took it, reading with a similar transformation of expressions. For him, the bemusement translated to a hearty laugh. "Well, I’ll be!"
Jessie frowned at him. "You’ll be what? Come on, Evan! Who’s it from?"
Evan passed the letter back to Lena. "I can’t read this out loud. You read it if you have to."
Dear Mrs. Hartmann,
I regret that we did not part on better terms. Our departure from Sawtooth City, rushed as it was, didn’t give us much time to become properly acquainted. I was glad to hear that Evan took my advice and asked you to marry him. He’s a good man, but you know that, and glad I am that you do. You’re a good woman, one that well-deserves him.
He probably never told you how much he did for me and the girls. That’s another of his fine qualities. He’s not only generous but not given to bragging.
Well, he not only drove us up that mountain and down the other side just as a fearful winter was coming, he gave me a gift of gold dust that helped me start fresh in Sawtooth City. I made good on my promise to become a respectable lady. Did a good enough job of it that I also found me a decent man to marry. With his help, I was able to make a personal dream come true.
As you can see from the label attached to the inside of the hat, I put Evan’s money to good use.
“Jessie look inside. What does it say?”
“Fleur de Paris Millinery, Madame Dumont, proprietress” Jessie did her best to pronounce the names, but ended with a giggle.
Lena continued reading.
Mr. Joseph Durant, my kind and supportive husband, helped me to gain some further level of respectability in this little city, by making me his wife.
All that, being what it is, I’ve done well for myself here. Much of the credit goes to your kind husband. I hope you’ll enjoy this gift and you’ll think of me when you wear it for Ketchum society. It is designed according to the latest Parisian style.
My best regards to you both,
Mrs. Joseph Dumont
p.s. If the hat is a little too tight, you can adjust the fit by removing the lining inside. Please remember your friend, Naomi, as one who pays her debts.
Jessie passed the hat back into Lena’s hands. "Now will you please try it on?"
Lena carefully positioned the hat, but found it perched precariously high upon her hair. "I
need to either change my hair or do as she suggested and adjust the lining."
"Who’s Naomi?" Maddie knew only enough to make her rabidly curious.
Evan and Lena exchanged an uncertain look, difficult for Maddie to interpret. Evan answered, "She lived in Sawtooth City when Lena and I were there. She ran a business. . . She took care of some ladies who..."
Jessie continued to fuss with the hat, while explaining, "Oh, for goodness sake, Evan, just say it straight out. Naomi was a Madame. Evan helped her leave town when the boom changed Sawtooth City to bust. He risked his life getting her off the mountain and risked it again getting back up to Lena."
Lena hugged Evan’s arm. "Well, it looks like your good deed did Naomi a world of good. I’m thrilled to hear she’s married and happy in her creative work."
"What is this?" Jessie tugged at the hat lining, her frustration creasing her brow tight. "It seems glued tight! Where’s my scissors? Maybe I can clip it."
"Here! Let me take a look." Evan worked at the lining for a moment, giving it a considerable tug that made Lena cringe.
"Be careful, Evan!"
"Ah!" With a tug, a shower of bills rained down on the table. "What the..."
“Money!” Jessie squealed. "Those are big bills!"
Lena picked up the letter again and reread the last line. "Please remember your friend, Naomi, as one who pays her debts."
Evan looked up, shaking his head and grinning. "Looks like she paid us back with interest. Think there might be some money to be made in hat making?"
Then Maddie saw them both react as one. Before Evan could voice it, Lena said, "The ranch! We can finish the improvements on the guest house!"
Mrs. Wilkinson met Maddie outside the bookstore that morning, looking like the proverbial cat that ate the canary. "Maddie, congratulations!"
Surprised that word of her engagement should be so quickly learned, Maddie thanked her but decided not to ask how she had heard. Although, she’d only lived in Ketchum three months, she came to understand one universal trait of small towns—news travels as fast as the feet that carries it.
"Good morning, Maddie."
Maddie spun at the sound of David’s voice. His eyes embraced her even as his arms remained behind his back. How she longed to feel his arms around her again! She felt her ears burning again and forced herself to look away.
"Ah, good! We can be off, then. You brought your buggy, Dr. Reynolds?"
David waved to the corner where the little mare stood waiting, the buggy hitched behind. "Just as you asked, Mrs. Wilkinson."
Mrs. Wilkinson, eyes sparkling, gave David a conspiratorial smile. "Well, then, shall we go? I love surprises, don’t you?"
Maddie’s pleasant fantasy evaporated at hearing Mrs. Wilkinson words. She felt an irrational tension, working itself out into a crease between her eyes. Was it that surprises, as she had known them, had rarely been good ones? She looked to David for explanation. "What are we doing, David?" Her tone was level, disguising her growing anxiety.
"Mrs. Wilkinson has something she wants to show us. I hope you don’t mind a slight delay to your work day." David took her hand and helped her into the buggy, then turned to assist Mrs. Wilkinson.
David leaned close to her as they started off. "I’m sorry I missed seeing you this morning. I needed to check on the blacksmith’s stitches. I wanted to know if Ely’s stitches would hold. He did a fine job and should be able to find work as a tailor if his work as a bookkeeper ends." He smiled at his own joke. Maddie kept her eyes on the street ahead of them, still hoping she might be able to anticipate something of the nature of this surprise.
"Turn left, here, Dr. Reynolds. Travel three blocks south on First Street. I’ll let you know when we’re there." Mrs. Wilkinson patted Maddie’s arm. "You and David will make a charming addition to our community. It will be so much easier to assimilate you two as a couple than had you remained single. Unattached people can be so awkward in social situations. I never know what to do with them."
Maddie felt the line deepen between her eyes. She wasn’t sure assimilation was something to be desired. She’d just started adjusting to the idea of one true identity. Giving it up so quickly didn’t appeal to her.
She stole a glance in David’s direction. He seemed. . .what was it. . .smug? Her jaw hurt.
"There it is! Turn here. You can see it from here. Isn’t it grand?"
The grand that Mrs. Wilkinson waved a hand to was a two-story house at the end of the street. Like the lodging house, it too, had some remaining pine trees behind it. Despite her growing agitation, she had to admit, silently, that the setting was lovely. But why was this relevant to her?
"It’s vacant. Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey entrusted the sale of the property to me. When I learned of Dr. Reynolds’ proposal to you, Maddie, I just knew it was destiny. Shall we go inside?" Mrs. Wilkinson was already extracting a key from her bag, tripping up the porch steps.
Maddie’s temples throbbed, her hands tightening on the folds of her skirt. David has already picked out a house?
She fumbled for words, managing, "I’d like to see the yard first..." She could see the puzzled expressions on their faces, but she couldn’t explain this confusing constriction in her chest. What she most desired to do was run. "I’ll just walk around to the back of the house so I can see these lovely trees."
Mrs. Wilkinson called after her, "Of course, if you wish. I’ll just go inside and open the drapes to let in all the light through these magnificent windows."
She forced herself to take in deep, calming breaths and walk at a normal pace, restraining her feet from taking her on a headlong rush away from the house. She didn’t trust herself to look at David. If she could just have a little time to think, it would be all right, everything would be all right.
Her feet didn’t stop at the end of the back lawn, but continued to follow a narrow path to the edge of the river. To her dismay, tears flowed down her cheeks and her breath came in short gasps for air that felt too thin. The trail ended at the river bank where she stopped, resting her hand upon the rough bark of a pine. That was real, but this morning felt anything but.
Footfalls on leaves, alerted her to David’s approach. She didn’t turn, even when she felt his hand on her shoulder. "Maddie, what is it?"
How could she answer the question for him anymore than she could for herself? Brushing the back of a hand across her eyes, she forced a genial smile and turned. "It’s been a confusing couple of days, I guess."
She could detect the uncertainty in his body, his hands now shoved into his jacket pockets. A shadow lay across his face. A moment and he found his voice, asking, "Are you reconsidering...Are you uncertain of my love for you?"
There came a wild, anxious fluttering in her chest when she saw hurt in his eyes. Of its own accord, her hand reached out to touch his arm. "David, it isn’t you. I..." Her voice choked on a sob.
He pulled her close, wrapping his arms about her, stroking her hair as though she were a child and not a lover. "It’s my fault. I should have asked Mrs. Wilkinson to wait. I think I’ve been thinking of us longer than you. I was courting you while you were still in fear for your life. I should have given you more time to get used to the idea." He breathed into her hair. "Forgive me. I never meant to cause you distress. All I want is to make you happy."
Maddie sagged against him, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. When she could breathe again, she whispered, "Trust is going to take some time. I want time to make sure that you know me, who I am, what I’ve done. I want to make sure you love me."
He cupped her face in his hands and said, "I can give you all the time you desire. Getting to know you, your wants, your fears, your passions, is all I want in this world."
Chapter 35
David and Maddie did not set a date for the wedding until mid-July. For one glorious month, through evening strolls along the river or through the awakening streets of Ketchum before sunrise, Maddie and David grew to know each other through long, delicious c
onversations. Maddie shared her frustrations with her father’s lifestyle and puppet-like control of her life as a young woman.
She also shared those details of life on the road with her father, sitting as a child in some boarding house fearing he might not return at the end of the day, making friends with the kitchen staff in hotels so that she could charm them into feeding her. At last, Maddie yielded to tears, mourning her lost childhood. David held her, murmuring words of comfort.
In time, David told her of his attraction for a married woman, and how he’d made the decision to move to Ketchum to put thoughts of her behind. And assurances were exchanged. Under the weight of her confessions, David’s commitment to her had not faltered. Her affections for him were true. At last, she knew that he loved her, Maddie, Mae, Madison, all the nuances of her personality.
The date was set for the first day of August. With the improvements to the Hartmann Ranch well underway, the wedding would be celebrated under the open beams of their new barn. The newly milled floor was destined to become a dance floor with the heavens providing lighting.
The delay allowed Mrs. Wilkinson to pamper her friend, Maddie, with a wedding trousseau. The wedding dress ordered from New York, arrived with the next shipment of books. As an early gift, Mrs. Wilkinson offered Maddie half-ownership in the store. With her new-found interest in real-estate transactions, the store was taking too much of her time.
On a bright morning in August, under a pale, late summer sky, Maddie and David were married. Beneath the open rafters, wrapped with garlands of wildflowers, to the sound of Ely’s violin, Maddie walked down the aisle, her gaze locked on David’s glistening eyes. Lena and Evan stood beside him, both of them beaming at her as though they were the proud parents.
The pastor asked, "Are you ready?"
Maddie whispered, "Yes."
"Dearly beloved." A sudden outburst of laughter, brought the pastor to a stop. Heads turned. Jessie, eyes impossibly wide, gave forth another explosive laugh while at the same time gripping her swollen belly.
Redeeming Lies Page 24