The Secret Ingredient

by Raine Cantrell

  If Halimeda Pruitt thought he was going-to let her retreat behind that polite wall she hid behind, the lady had better think again.

  Chapter 5

  Near noon, Cade set the pole brake of Hallie’s buckboard in front of the sheriffs office. He ignored the immediate crowd that formed, pointing and whispering about his prisoners. He vaguely remembered what Sheriff Mallory looked like from the two times he had questioned him after the robbery. But Cade’s pleasure in turning over Jeb and Emmet to the law was dimmed by thoughts of Hallie’s withdrawn manner as she served him coffee and breakfast, then helped him ready the buckboard.

  Hallie had argued about her keeping the robber’s horses. She had insisted that Cade turn them over as well. Patience the mule had proved docile once in the traces. Cade thought the beast had had all the excitement it could stand the night before.

  As Cade stepped into the office the sheriff broke off his conversation with his deputy. “Help you? Wait a minute. You the cowpoke that Doc found? Where the hell you been?”

  “Doc got Miss Halimeda Pruitt to take me in.” Cade’s hands curled into fists when he spotted the deputy’s smirk.

  “Old Pruitt’s granddaughter, huh? Now, there was a woman.” Mallory had a far away look in his eyes. “She’s an independent woman like her mama, too. Guess the apple don’t fall far from the tree. Miss Pruitt practice free love like her mama?”

  It was asked in a straightforward manner, unlike the snigger from the deputy. A cold, hard stare from Cade shut the younger man up. “Sheriff, you’re mistaken. Miss Pruitt is a lady.”

  “Ain’t arguing that. But her mama, now …” Mallory then proceeded to educate Cade about the Pruitt women’s history.

  Given no choice but to listen due to circumstance and his own need to know. Cade seethed everytime he looked up to see the deputy smirking.

  “So,” Cade said as the sheriff finished, “her mama had a string of lovers dancing to her tune—”

  “Yep. That’s what I said. Mind you, just until she got in the family way. From what my papa told me, it was the same with her mama before her.”

  “And how many men danced to Miss Hallie’s tune?” Cade hating asking, but he had to know.

  “Nary a one, far as I know.”

  “Damn right. And I’ll give fair warning. If I hear one slur against Miss Halimeda Pruitt’s good name, the man’ll answer to me. Now, we have business. The men that robbed and left me for dead are tied up in the buckboard.”

  “Caught ’em, huh?”

  “Last night. They attempted to kill me and Miss Pruitt.”

  “That so? You ain’t the only one that fell for that fancy bit of goods and got taken. But you’re the only one that lived, McAllister. And you’re a rich man. Pete Kent, who owns the saloon, and Joe Lassit, who owns the hotel, places where she and her cohorts plied their filthy trade here, put up a four-thousand-dollar reward. Couldn’t prove nothing against them. But you’ll stay around for the trial?”

  “I’ll be here.”

  “Jeffers,” Mallory said to his deputy, “make yourself useful beyond holding up the wall and lock those men up. I’ll take McAllister over to the bank to collect his money.”

  Cade followed the elbow-wielding sheriff through the crowd, still reeling over the information he had about Hallie’s family. Well, the female side. No one knew for sure who her grandfather or father were. Then, the good fortune of receiving a reward amounting to more money than he had lost took second place to his churning thoughts about Hallie. He’d bet his half of the reward money that Hallie had not followed her mama and grandmother’s path. The story gave him insight to Hallie’s character and her contrary behavior.

  Cade signed the receipt, opened an account for the balance less three hundred dollars cash. He was taking no chances of getting waylaid on his return to Hallie’s driving a buckboard pulled by a mule that knew two gaits—slow and slower.

  Pete Kent insisted on standing drinks for Cade at his saloon. Joe Lassit joined them on the way. He offered Cade the best steak dinner and room his hotel had to offer. Scam artists were a honest businessman’s plague.

  The liquor came from Pete’s private stock. It was so smooth and aged that Cade thought he’d died and gone to heaven with the first taste. He savored that drink, thinking of the weeks he’d been craving one, but strangely enough, found himself placing his hand over the glass when the barkeep attempted to pour him a second one.

  “Gentlemen,” Cade said, shaking first Pete’s hand, then Joe’s, “appreciate the drink, the offer, and the reward, but I’ve got some mighty important things to do.”

  Hallie paused on the graveled path that led to the white clapboard house to watch the sun, wrapped in layers of color begin its descent on the horizon.

  Cade had not returned.

  Trudging her way into the kitchen, she worked the pump until the basin in the dry sink was half full, then added hot water from the kettle to wash after evening chores.

  She didn’t understand why she cared where he was or what he was doing. Cade McAllister threatened her peace of mind, her way of life.

  And what happened to asking him to leave?

  Hallie had no answer.

  Cade had forced her to acknowledge her own deep need for human touch. Nothing had felt as good as the moments when he had held her. The man had awakened something she had never felt, but only dreamed about. Something that frightened her with its power. She thought of the way he had watched her this morning, with an intimacy that made her feel connected with him in some profound way. Hallie refused to name it.

  “I do not want this,” she whispered, grabbing hold of the edge of the sink. “I don’t want to spend another day mooning over Cade’s McAllister’s dimples, or his kisses, his teasing, his very presence filling a room. I never want to think of how chocolate tastes when shared by the melting heat of his lips. I,” she declared in a louder voice, “do not want Cade McAllister in my life.”

  “What did I do now?” Cade asked. He stood in the doorway, new hat in hand, innocent as could be, as if he hadn’t spent the entire four-hour ride back recalling details from Hallie’s journal.

  Hallie blushed like a bowl of pickled beets. How much had he heard? She issued a barrage of silent warnings as she faced him. Drying her hands on her apron, she spotted the new hat he held. She didn’t question the purchase. He had a right to take whatever money Jeb and Emmet had after what they had stolen from him. Her gaze strayed with helpless fascination to the faded denim the dark brown felt hat rested against, denim that gloved his thighs and lean hips with a soft, loving fit.

  She briefly closed her eyes, overcome by jealousy for the cloth. She wasn’t even aware that her hands clenched her apron as she denied the need to touch him.

  An uncontrollable urge sent her gaze climbing upward, from his beltbuckle to the first button on the front of his shirt, then on up blue fabric and horn buttons to the open point where the cozy kitchen fixture’s light gilded a V of hair dusted male flesh.

  No matter how hard Hallie tried to look away, her stare drifted to his smiling lips or the mischief twinkling in his blue eyes, or to the soft sheen of his still-too-long black hair. Cade stood about six feet from her…. What possessed her to count the feet that separated them!

  “You came back.”

  Cade swiftly sorted and discarded every smart-aleck answer and simply nodded. He could have pointed out the obvious, that he had to return Patience and her buckboard. Or the not so obvious to Hallie, that he wouldn’t go unless she ordered him to.

  “You didn’t cut your hair?”

  “Is that an accusation?”

  “No. Just remarking about it.”

  “That’s good. I didn’t cut it, Hallie, because I like the way your hands felt sliding through it.” There, he’d shot the first opening round.

  That quickly the intimacy was back, filling the kitchen, filling her heart. A gust of love swept over her. The mere sil
ent admission rocked her back on her heels. Love? When had it happened? He’d been gone all day and she had missed him so much everything was unbearable. Not even her animals filled the lonely void he’d left behind.

  But Cade had learned the truth about her. There was no way he couldn’t have once he’d told where he’d been staying. With her emotions running riot, Hallie knew she had to end this before he said or did something to hurt her.

  “Last night,” she began.

  “Hallie, last night, you were supposed to sit by my bedside, wipe my fevered brow, and tell me how brave I was.”

  “What? But you didn’t have a fever.”

  Cade should have taken pity on the confusion in her eyes. But he was not going to let her retreat. “You’re wrong. I’ve had one from the moment I woke and looked into a pair of green eyes. I’ll admit,” he said, tapping the hat against his leg, “that I didn’t know what it was then, but Hallie, I sure do now.”

  She wanted to tell him he didn’t need to use his hat to hide the evidence. He hadn’t been quick enough. It was no more than she had expected after he’d heard about her family. But expected or not, a deep hurt spread through her that Cade had come back thinking she’d fall into the nearest bed with him.

  But isn’t that what you want, too? Hallie refused to answer the little nag. Her chin rose and her eyes held a militant gleam. “Well, Mr. McAllister, if that was what I should have done, you were supposed to tell me that your heart ached instead of complaining about your leg.”

  Her steady gaze warned him this wasn’t going quite the way he envisioned. He had not expected Hallie to fling herself into his arms—it would have been nice, damn nice if she did, but he had thought she’d be … warmer.

  “It does, you know.”

  “What does? Speak plainly, Mr. McAll—”

  “Cade. You said it often enough. I can’t go back to being Mr. McAllister, no matter how much you want that.”

  “What does?” she repeated, ignoring the rest. Panic took hold: He shuffled where he stood.

  “My … my heart aches for you, Hallie.” Cade knew there was no point in mentioning now how the rest of his body felt. But if he didn’t offer relief soon, his britches were going to strangle him.

  Hallie wanted to believe him. She wanted it so much that she was shaking. This wasn’t a dream. This was Cade telling her his heart ached for her. Horsefeathers! Bold and brazen as could be, Hallie marched the six feet separating them. She leaned close and sniffed loudly.

  “You have been drinking. Stuff and nonsense is bound to come from any man who indulges.”

  He barely refrained from shaking the sanctimonious stuffing out of her. He smiled. If she still cared about his drinking, there was hope. “Now, Hallie—”

  “Don’t you now Hallie me.”

  “I’ll do it all I want.” Cade waved the hat beneath her nose. “No other man has the right. And I only had one drink. Wait till I tell you what I’m gonna do. There was a—”

  “Pack your belongings and leave at first light.” She spun on her heels and marched back to the sink.

  Cade shook his head. He’d lost something somewhere. “I never said that.”

  “Look, McAllister, let’s have a little honesty. You brought those men to the sheriff. I am sure that he told you he was one of my mother’s lovers. I am sure that he filled your ears with stories about my mother and my grandmother. I am not like them. I do not want a string of lovers. I do not—”

  “How about one, Hallie?”

  “I do not want you or any other man cluttering up my life.”

  The silence in the kitchen was absolute. Not even the cool night breeze dared to enter the kitchen. Cade needed long minutes before he could speak with any calm. It disappeared when he met that militant gaze.

  “You,” he said, tossing his hat toward the table and advancing on her, “are one bossy, opinionated female. Yes, I did see the sheriff. Yes, he told me about your mama and grandmother. And yes, I’ll admit, it played hell with my good intentions to know they taught you to believe in free love. But if you don’t sit down and hear me out, I’ll tickle you till you can’t draw a breath, Halimeda Pruitt.”

  Hallie folded her arms protectively across her chest. She couldn’t move as he reached behind him and dragged a chair away from the table. She couldn’t even draw a much needed breath until he moved aside.

  “Sit down, Hallie.”

  Despite her declaration that she didn’t want him here, Hallie greedily wished to prolong his leaving. She sat down, prepared to listen to him.

  Cade snagged a chair for himself, placed it at her side, straddled it, his arms resting across the chair’s back, and sighed. “You can be difficult.”

  “I—”

  “Difficult, but not impossible. I don’t give a hoot about your mother or your grandmother. I don’t care who your father was. I do care that you’ve been hurt by stupid gossip. There’ll be no more of it.”

  “Now that they know you were here—”

  “Hallie, I swear I’ll tickle you with a feather if you don’t stop interrupting me. Tickle you,” he warned, “till you can’t breathe.”

  It was a mark of her upset that Hallie didn’t question how he knew that she was ticklish. She wrapped her legs around the chair’s, clasping her hands within the folds of her apron and nodded.

  “Good. We understand each other. I also spoke to Doc. He told me that the other wounded men who stayed here never caused you any grief. A warning to me, I suppose. But before I get to talking about me and you, I want to tell you about the reward. We’re splitting four thousand dollars.” Cade placed two fingers across her mouth and shook his head.

  “No interruptions. I left most of the money in the bank till we had a chance to talk about what we’ll do with it.” He liked the way her eyes turned dark and wide. “Yeah, you heard me right. We’ll decide together. The sheriff also sent telegrams warning neighboring towns to be on the lookout for Lurette Beauclare.

  “Now that’s out of the way.” Cade removed his fingers from her mouth and feather-stroked her cheek. “I have some ideas of what we can do with the money. Hallie,” he leaned close to whisper, “you do know that I desire you a great deal. But what happens between us from tonight on is entirely up to you.

  “And lastly, for your edification, Miss Pruitt, I had one drink. I am not drunk. I know what I’ve said. What’s more, I meant every word. You can tell me to go or to stay, Hallie.”

  Please tell me to stay, his gaze pleaded.

  Please don’t ask me to decide, her look begged.

  Once more, silence filled the kitchen, but this time there was an added tension.

  Cade saw the indecision in her expression. He rushed to forestall her answer. “I had saved money to buy a spread of my own. You’ve got good land going to waste. We’ve been in each other’s pockets for a few weeks and didn’t end up hating each other. That’s right, isn’t it, Hallie? You don’t hate me?”

  “I don’t hate you, Cade.”

  “That’s good. Real good.” He teased the corner of her mouth till she smiled. He was making a mess of this. “I need to put up the buckboard.” He stood up, replaced his chair and raked his hand through his hair. “I bought something for you. I’ll bring it in first.”

  The pleating on her apron required her attention as he went outside then returned. Hallie, still sorting all he said, didn’t look up as something thumped on the table.

  She started when Cade put his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll be awhile. Hallie, look kindly on what I bought. I tried like crazy to find you some undernourished stray in need of a good home, figuring you’d appreciate a gift like that more than any other. Couldn’t find a one in need of rescue. Fella over at the livery said his bitch’s due for pups in a week or so. I told him we’d want the runt of the litter.”

  “You shouldn’t have….” Don’t cry. Don’t you dare cry.

  “Don’t spoil this for me. I want
ed to buy a whole lot more. ’Sides, Hallie,” he whispered, leaning down to nuzzle her ear, “you didn’t see what I brought for you.”

  Chapter 6

  The door closed but Hallie didn’t look up. What exactly had Cade proposed? No, not proposed, she amended, stated as fact. “We’re splitting the reward,” she murmured. “We’ll talk. We’ll decide together.” Cade’s words, spoken as if the two of them were a pair.

  The notion, too close to secret dreams, was painful to think about. He couldn’t have meant it.

  But he’d dismissed her illegitmacy as though it meant nothing to him. He had said that he desired her.

  Hallie touched her fingertips to her lips. Did she dare believe him? The reward money meant his freedom. He didn’t have to come back, didn’t have to share it with her.

  Her gaze strayed to where a large oval wash basket squatted over half the table. Imagine the man telling her he went looking for a stray. But what had he bought?

  The moment she stood peering down into the basket, Hallie started laughing. Cade McAllister had certainly used a good part of his reward to shop. She lifted out tins of Driessen’s cocoa, others from Philadelphia’s H.O. Wilbur Sons, bonbons from Hugber’s. Milk chocolate produced in Switzerland by Daniel Peter, semisweet solid eating chocolate imported from England. Boxes filled with delicious candy from the New England Confectionary Company and the two layers on the bottom were of her very favorites, Sparrow’s Empress Chocolates. She picked up, then shakily set down Runkel’s Breakfast Cocoa, hardly able to see through the tears blurring her eyes.

  He must have bought out the supply of every mercantile. She had enough chocolate for a year or more. And if Cade left she would need every bit of it.

  “Good for what ails you. Oh, Granny Rose, you were so wrong,” she whispered. Sniffing and wiping her eyes, Hallie had to repeat it again. Cade should have been running in the opposite direction after what he’d learned, instead he’d showered her with sweets and left the decision of his staying or going up to her.