by Jill Maguire
“But wasn’t it Harvey that got shot? And they say you killed him. If it was the Miller boys, you need to go to the authorities and tell them you’re innocent.”
Cody continued. “I didn’t know Harv had a gun. I tried to talk some sense into him, told him he was going to get himself killed, but he insisted it wasn’t a fair fight and needed to protect himself. He was scared; I could see it in his eyes. When the Miller boys came outside to finish what Harv had started, things went haywire. I tried to grab the gun, but Harv wouldn’t let go. It went off and he took the bullet.”
Miranda gasped. “Then it was an accident. You have to tell the Marshall!”
“I don’t think the Marshall has any intention of hearing the truth. He’d rather pin this on me and rid his town of another no-good drifter.”
“But……”
“Let’s get on our way. You don’t want to be late for that pageant.” Cody jumped to his feet like nothing had ever happened and strutted off toward the waiting horse. He inspected the animal for injuries before tightening the straps on the saddle and pulling himself up. “Are ‘ya coming?”
****
All Miranda could think about as they rode across the countryside, was Cody’s innocence. He was being accused of a crime he didn’t commit and that didn’t sit well with her. And, she was worried about his health. His cough seemed to be getting worse with each passing day. As she laced her fingers together around his waist, she promised herself to do whatever she could to make things better for him once they reached Sunrise.
“Are you okay back there,” he called over his shoulder.
“I’m fine. Cold and wet, but fine,” Miranda answered, laying her head on the back of Cody’s shoulder to try and block the wind.
Miranda felt Cody pull back firmly on the reigns. “Whoa,” he called out. The horses responded and gradually came to a stop. Cody slid from the saddle and searched through the satchel. “It may be wet, but it was underneath your dress so I’m hoping it stayed dry in here.”
Miranda tried not to cringe as Cody rummaged through the bag. He was certainly not being delicate with the dress or taking care not to rip the lace trim, but when he held up a black shawl and handed it to her, she forgot all about the gown. “Feels pretty dry. It’ll help keep you warm while we ride.”
Miranda’s heart bounced in her chest. Cody Hyde was a very considerate man. To show her appreciation, she let her fingers linger softly against his for a brief moment as she took the shawl.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her eyes locked with his.
“We don’t need you catching a cold out here,” he said, and pulled his hand away, almost as if he didn’t enjoy the contact. “We best continue on.”
Chapter Eleven
Cody tethered the horse to a tree and surveyed the opening in the woods. “Looks like a good place to stop for the night,” he said and turned to Miranda to be sure she agreed.
Miranda nodded. “I’ll get to work clearing some bare ground for sleeping.”
Cody extended his hand to help her from the horse and as she slid down, the shawl slipped from her shoulders. Cody snatched it before it fell to the ground and re-adjusted it for her. While he couldn’t help but notice Miranda’s tender smile at his act of chivalry, Cody refused to be drawn in. She had made it quite clear that her intentions were to marry and start a new life for herself in Sunrise and he was not about to let himself fall any harder than he already had. Besides, if he didn’t get to a doctor soon, he may not have any future at all.
“Over there would be the best for sleeping,” he pointed. “And I’ll start a fire over here.” Cody kicked at the dirt and began making a ring of large rocks to contain the flames. As he worked, he felt the familiar burn building in his chest for the second time that day. Not again. I’m not about to let this woman see me so weak – not today – not ever again.
“I’m going to go and collect some more wood for the fire,” he lied. “I won’t be long.” Before Miranda could question him, or his cough interrupted his hasty exit, Cody disappeared into the woods.
He walked as fast as he could; trying to get as far from Miranda as possible before the hacking overtook him. He checked over his shoulder as he went and when he couldn’t suppress the fit any longer, he collapsed against a large tree and started to cough.
It was getting worse. The pain ravaged his entire body now, and Cody wondered if his dip in the frosty river may have aggravated his symptoms. If his illness continued to progress at this pace, Cody knew he might not make it to Sunrise.
No, he immediately dismissed his thought. He had to. He had no choice. Getting Miranda to Sunrise was his first priority. Besides, with the money she had offered to pay for escorting her, maybe he could get the medication he needed.
Cody tried to stand, but his body refused and he sank back down to the forest floor. He pressed his head into the coarse bark of the tree and cursed at the world under his breath. Life was certainly not going the way he had planned.
Cody closed his eyes and focused on taking long slow breaths, trying to rejuvenate his body and get his wheezing under control. Before long, his eyes began to feel heavy and even the thought of Miranda alone at camp couldn’t bring him to open them. All he wanted was rest.
As he drifted off to sleep, his mind was filled with visions of his childhood. He saw his father teaching him how to spit and his Ma slathering him with kisses when he baked her a fresh peach pie for the first time. He saw the farm animals, the long wooden fence and the blowing wheat fields that stretched as far as the eye could see.
Then, like an angelic mirage, Miranda appeared in his dream. She was standing in the wheat field, her long brown hair swirling around her, arms stretched out beckoning for him to come to her. And he wanted to, more than anything, but even in his dream, he couldn’t move. Suddenly he sensed danger. He called to her but there was no sound, just a hum that echoed deep in his chest. He needed to warn her – he could hear growling and she needed to run. He tried to yell again, but his call was trapped in his throat. Run. Run away.
Reality returned in a whir, as the sound of a gunshot tore through the woods and startled Cody, his heart beating so quickly it propelled him to his feet in a split second. Straight ahead of him he saw Miranda, gun lowered slightly from her eye, the barrel pointed directly at him.
As he tried to assess the situation, his eyes fell to a pile of flesh and fur that lay only a few yards from where he was sitting. It was a grizzly and Miranda had shot it dead.
The only word Cody could muster was ‘bear’ and when he said it, Miranda wasn’t sure if he was asking her or telling her.
“Yes, a bear. A bear that was going to eat you for dinner.”
“How did you……where did you……?” Cody was at a total loss for words.
“How did I?” Miranda snarled. “I aimed at its heart and pulled the trigger, that’s how.”
“But where did you…,” Cody couldn’t seem to finish a sentence.
“Where did I learn to shoot?”
Cody nodded without muttering a word.
“My Pa taught me when I was young. Luckily for you, I hadn’t forgotten.”
Cody tiptoed around the fallen beast and walked to Miranda’s side. “I guess we’re even,” he whispered.
“I wasn’t aware we were keeping score. Besides, keeping you alive means I will get to Sunrise.”
Miranda handed the gun to Cody and whipped around without giving the mammoth beast that lay dead in a heap at Cody’s feet another glance. “Did you manage to find any wood?” she called over her shoulder.
Cody was astonished at how matter-of-fact Miranda was about slaying such a fierce creature. He was obviously more shaken by his close call with death than she was about killing the animal with one shot. “Uh,” he stuttered. “No, I hadn’t found any yet. I was……”
“Too busy sleeping,” she quipped as she weaved her way back through the woods with Cody following close behind. He watched her climb the h
ill, swatting at branches as she went, her limp indistinct over the uneven terrain. She was one of the strongest woman he had ever met – and not just in the head-strong sense either. Even with her disadvantage, she had proven she was a force to be reckoned with and Cody was thankful she had been there to save his life.
Chapter Twelve
Sunrise was just as Miranda had anticipated. The streets were busy but not congested, the town was lively but not rowdy and the townsfolk looked friendly but not familiar. Miranda studied the sign above the ice cream parlour. It was freshly painted with bold black lettering and the short chain that attached it to the metal work allowed it to blow slightly in the breeze. Sunrise felt like home.
They had only made their way past a few shops when Miranda saw a large poster for the bride pageant tacked in the window of the General Store. “Oh, Cody, look!” She tapped Cody on the shoulder and pointed out the sign to him. “I’d like to see what it says.”
Cody eased the horse up to the wide wooden porch in front of the store and let Miranda off. She bounded up to the window like a child at a candy store and gazed at the bright colorful words on the paper. Tomorrow was the big day. Tomorrow the doctor would pick his bride.
As she stared at the poster, Cody’s reflection in the glass caught her attention. He was still sitting atop the horse, his eyes fixated on her, but his shoulders were slumped and his face seemed sullen. Even through the window, she could sense something was wrong. Maybe it was his illness. Or maybe it was something more, something to do with her entering the pageant.
Miranda returned to Cody and told him the pageant was to begin at ten o’clock the following morning.
“Then I guess we better get you a hotel room for the night. You’ll want to get a good night’s rest.”
Miranda couldn’t tell if Cody was being sincere or if he was mocking her, but she knew she didn’t want to sleep in a hotel tonight. “Actually, I was hoping you’d be willing to spend one more night with me under the stars. It’s what my Pa would have wanted when he got to Sunrise.”
“I’d be happy to,” Cody smiled. “I’m not a big fan of fancy hotels anyway.”
“Perfect,” Miranda agreed and hopped back on the horse, wrapping her arms a little tighter around Cody’s waist. She hadn’t felt this happy in a long time.
****
Miranda tugged the purple satin dress from the satchel and held it to her body. “Just a few wrinkles,” she said, patting at the front of the fabric. “Nothing a warm night breeze can’t iron out.” She walked around the spot they had chosen for the night until she found a low hanging branch and threaded it through the arm holes of the dress. “This should do it.” Standing back, she examined the dress. As the night air twisted and twirled it around, it almost looked to be dancing.
“It’s a beautiful dress,” Cody said softly. “The doctor would be a fool not to choose you.”
Miranda blushed and turned to Cody. He didn’t make eye contact and she could tell he would prefer it if she didn’t acknowledge his compliment. “I just hope he doesn’t notice my limp.”
“If he is any man worth marrying, it won’t even be a consideration.”
Miranda bit her bottom lip as her heart fluttered in her chest. “I hope you’re right. I am only interested in marrying a man who loves me just the way I am.”
“That’s the way it should be.”
Cody refused to look up from the fire, so Miranda allowed a huge smile to glide across her face. It was only a few short days ago that she had smacked him on the shins with her cane, and now here he was, showering her with kindness.
As Cody continued to stoke the fire, Miranda gazed at the stars. The night was still and clear and amidst the croak of the frogs and the song of the crickets, she could feel the love of her family all around her. They were happy she had come, she just knew it.
Cody’s voice broke the silence and his question was one Miranda hadn’t even considered.
“Just out of curiosity, what will you do if the doctor chooses a bride other than yourself?”
Miranda contemplated her response and then shrugged. “I’m afraid I don’t know. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”
Cody lifted his eyebrow but didn’t say anything more. The two sat in silence for what seemed like eternity before Miranda announced she was going to sleep. After one more peek at the stars, she drifted off into a contented slumber.
****
Miranda felt giddy with excitement when she slipped the plum colored dress onto her body for the first time. Even though it had been made for Eva Benson, the dress clung to her figure like it was made just for her. She collected her belongings from the river’s edge and tiptoed back to Cody, still snoring the morning away against the log.
She couldn’t wait for Cody to see her in the dress when she returned, so she purposely kicked his tin canteen, sending it crashing to the ground. Alarmed, Cody’s eyes flew open and he snatched his gun from the fallen tree beside him. “Bear…,” he muttered, still half asleep.
“No, silly. No bear this time. But it is almost time for the pageant.”
Miranda giggled as Cody’s eyes widened at the sight of her. He sputtered and stammered and tried to find the words to describe how she looked. “Wow,” was all he could come up with.
“You like it?” she beamed.
“You look real nice.”
“Thank you, Mr. Hyde. Now, if you don’t mind, we should probably get going.”
Cody yawned and struggled to his feet. He tossed the saddle onto the horse and then paused.
“What is it?” Miranda wasn’t sure why Cody was stalling.
“Are you sure?”
“Am I sure about what?”
“About what you’re doing.” Cody smacked his hands against his thighs and Miranda could sense he was frustrated. “You don’t know anything about this man. What if he isn’t what you’re expecting?”
“But he will be. He has to be.”
“Why? Why does this have to be? Because you’re afraid? Because you feel alone? Why? Why do you feel you have to marry a man you don’t love?”
“Because it’s the only way I’ll ever find happiness.” Miranda felt the sting of tears build behind her eyes. “We will learn to love each other. We just will.”
There was so much more Cody wanted to say. Things he wanted to tell her. But she was a stubborn woman and he refused to force her so he turned his back and continued tacking up the horse.
Miranda fought back her emotions as they made their way into town. What if everything Cody had said was true? What if the doctor wasn’t what she was expecting? What if she was doing all of this because she was afraid of being alone? What if she was making a huge mistake?
She sniffled and swallowed back the hard lump that had formed in her throat. Her decision was made. She would try to win the doctor’s hand and become his wife here in Sunrise. It was the only way.
Chapter Thirteen
Cody couldn’t bear to watch but he couldn’t stand the thought of leaving either. So, as each of the eight beautiful women took their place on the makeshift stage in the center of town, Cody squatted behind the bushes and watched the event unfold.
The emcee, a small thin man with only a hint of hair atop his head, asked the women to line up side by side and face the excited crowd. The townsfolk cheered as each woman was introduced and when Miranda curtsied politely, they clapped and nodded like she was their favorite.
Cody studied the women, each beautiful in her own way, but none as stunning as Miranda Shaw. Her eyes twinkled in the sunlight and her hair, still dampened from her morning swim in the river, looked as soft as silk when it cascaded over her shoulders. He knew deep in his soul that she would be chosen by the doctor.
And then the announcement everyone had been waiting for. The man for whom the contest was being held was ready to meet the women who had come to win his heart and his hand. When he appeared from the General Store doorway, the crowd erupted. The man,
tall and slender, wearing the finest clothes Cody had ever seen, floated across the platform, climbing the steps to the stage where the eight women anxiously awaited his arrival. He smiled to the people below and waved like a man who had just been voted as mayor.
Cody wanted to turn away. He could feel the anger coursing through his veins and it took all of his strength not to scream out loud. He wanted to holler at the top of his lungs, to Miranda, the doctor and all of the people gathered before the stage, that he wanted to marry the beautiful woman in the purple dress. He wanted to hold her and love her forever and to him she was perfect, just the way she was. But this time, no matter how badly he wanted to, he couldn’t rescue Miranda – not even from herself.
As much as he wanted to look away, Cody’s eyes were glued to the doctor as he walked in front of the procession of women. He kissed the first woman’s hand as she curtsied proudly before him. He did the same to the next two eager contestants before stopping in front of Miranda. He seemed to linger there longer than the others and Cody could see Miranda’s lips moving. He had barely spoken to the other women. Why was he lingering there so long?
The doctor continued to speak to Miranda as she beamed from ear to ear and nodded enthusiastically. And then, much to Cody’s despair, the doctor wrapped his arms around Miranda’s waist and lifted her in the air, twirling her like a newly opened doll. It was obvious he had made his decision. Miranda would become his wife.
****
Cody swatted at the bushes as he stomped from his hiding spot and charged toward his horse. “Ridiculous. Just preposterous,” he mumbled as he untied the leather strap from the post and threw himself into the saddle. He had seen more than he cared to of the doctor and Miranda and decided it was time to leave.
But he also wanted his money. And now that Miranda would obviously be a very wealthy woman, he intended to claim what she owed. He vowed to return once the pageant was over to collect his wage and say his final goodbye. But for now, he needed to get away and clear his mind – and his heart.