by Jillian Hart
He was lying on the mattress Saydee had made up for him the other night in the kitchen, more comfortable than he'd been in a good long while. He owed her in a big way for that. He leaned back into the pillows and the soft mattress, resting while he had the chance. He couldn't guess the time, but he could hear the tick-tock of the mantel clock in the parlor.
Then he realized it. I'm not alone. He sensed her nearness even as he squinted into the black shadows straining to see anything at all. It wasn't hard to recognize her by the distant, light scent of lilacs. And by the nearly soundless pad of her shoes on the hardwood. Her skirts rustled as she swept into the kitchen.
"I'm awake."
She dropped whatever she was carrying and gasped. "Oh! You surprised me, and I'm sorry about that. I must have woken you. I didn't mean to." The floorboard beneath her right shoe squeaked and her petticoats rustled as she stepped forward. "It's a work day."
"Work?" He pushed up onto his elbows, ignoring the kick of pain in his side. "Edwin didn't mention that you had a job, but I didn't expect that you would have to leave in this weather."
"My brother doesn't know everything about me, or likely tells people everything about me. I'm not all that interesting. And I'm not as rich as I look," she joked, "so I need a job with an income and they expect me to show up when there's no blizzard. It's how I can afford to rent the house."
Humor. This early in the morning? He winced, not sure he was up to it before a cup of coffee. Then again, maybe it was the pain and the fact that she hadn't been wrong about him fighting off the croup and maybe failing just a bit. He grinned. "That's how most folks afford a house."
"Exactly, and I don't want to be late, what with the heavy snow to struggle through. Poor Romeo, he doesn't like to walk through deep drifts. He won't be happy on the drive to work."
"So, that's the gelding's name." He reached for his shirt and shrugged into it, pulling it over the long woolen underwear he'd slept in. "I wondered. He was a gentleman to me when I went to feed him and clean his big, roomy and comfortable stall."
"I do appreciate that." The crystal chimney of the table lamp clinked and a match flared to life. Light filled the room, and she shook out the match. "How's Jack? Did he sleep all the way through the night?"
"Yes."
"I'm glad he was that comfortable."
"He's on the mend." He fastened the last button and reached for his trousers. His denims, brand new not long ago, now looked as though they'd seen better days. He breathed through the pain and stuck his legs in one at a time, shivering in spite of the woolen underwear all the way to his ankles.
"What about you? Are you on the mend?" Saydee swept to a stop in front of him.
"I'm better than fine."
"Is that so? Something tells me that you're a big fibber, Mr. Bounty Hunter, and not very good at taking care of yourself. Is that the truth?"
"I cannot confirm or deny it." The words felt wrong compared to the good-natured concern bright in her big baby blue eyes, and his chest ached with appreciation for all this woman had done for his son. "I wish I could be honest about it, but I have to be fine. I have to be in good health, not sick. I have no other choice."
"I like to think that you have one."
"Then you are too optimistic." He stood slowly, refusing to acknowledge that it wasn't easy, and his chest ached at the caring in the knowing look she gave him. She was not fooled. "Where do you work?"
"In a private mansion not too far down the road." Her voice sounded as soft as silk. "It's a nice job to get to take care of a little girl and teach her. My aunt recommended me for the job, and I was very fortunate to get the position. I don't want to be late for it this morning, so I'm leaving soon. The sun isn't peeking up over the mountains yet, but I usually have breakfast there, my meals are part of my pay. If you would like, I can boil up some oatmeal for you before I go."
"I appreciate that, but don't fuss over me. Now that the storm's ended, I've got preparations to make." He stepped away from the possibility of her touch, leaving her hand paused in mid-air, because he had no other choice. "And you and I need to talk."
She lowered her hand. "You need to rest and let your health return and your stitches heal."
"I'm not the point." He took another step, ignored the pain searing up his side and bypassed the table to walk straight to the stove.
He'd banked the embers before turning in for the night, so the freezing air made him shiver as he knelt down to open the iron door and stir the coals with the stove's shovel. But his attention arrowed to the woman, who opened the pantry door and began setting out food for him. The oatmeal canister, the bread box, the butter crock, the coffee mill and ceramic jug of what must be coffee beans. Then she turned away and headed down the hallway with a swish of skirts.
He was hooked and he wasn't able to fight it. Somehow she'd stripped his heart down to pure feeling, peeling away the outer, protective layers and he hadn't even realized it. It was too late to retreat. He added a handful of moss onto the exposed embers and watched it smoke and catch fire. Then he reached down for a few small, dry sticks of kindling to add to the crackling moss and glowing embers and forced his eyes to watch the growing flames instead of glancing over his shoulder, searching for any sight of the beautiful woman.
"I have everything you need set out for breakfast and lunch, except for what's down cellar. You be sure and rest. Take good care of yourself today. It's your turn to rest and heal up, okay?"
"Saydee, I can't lay around. I need to get on the road."
"If you do, both you and Jack will be ill again before sunset. Do yourself the favor of staying here where it's warm and safe." The closet door swung open, and she pulled out a thick cardigan sweater and shrugged into it. The cheerful lamplight tumbled across her, accentuating the elegant movements she made as she reached for a hat and scarf from the shelf and elbowed the door closed. Her wool dress clung to her slim woman's body like a lover's adoring touch.
She turned toward him, breasts slightly moving and his gaze lingered there before trailing lower to where her narrow waist nipped in and lower, to where her hips softly and slightly flared. Desire thudded through his groin, and he couldn't stop it or the sensation of need gathering, tight and hot in his privates, and he squeezed his eyes shut briefly before opening them again. "You can't go. I had planned on talking with you."
"We can do that when I get back." She pulled the hat on her head. "Is there anything else you need before I go?"
"What are you doing? You are not going to the barn to do the work, not as long as I'm here. I will make myself useful to you. You keep an eye on that fire, would you? I'll be right back."
"You're going to hitch up my horse for me?"
"It's my pleasure."
"Are you sure you don't need more help from me so you don't have to leave?" She tilted her head to one side, beautifully veiled by the tumble of her wispy bangs and loose curls tumbling down over her eyes and the side of her face. "Maybe I should send someone to help you? My uncle would be happy to lend a hand. He's someone you can trust."
"No, thank you, trust me, I had better handle my troubles myself, alone." He stuck his feet into his boots and reached for his coat. "I'm tougher than I look, don't you worry. You stay in here and grab a few extra blankets to bundle up under."
"Maybe I will, thank you. Do you know what? I don't know your name."
"You'll remember it, I'm sure of it." He laid a hand on her delicate shoulder, feeling the fuzzy wool of her sweater and the petite woman beneath, the beautiful woman. Desire shot through him, bold and strident, and he stepped wisely away. "I'd best get moving out the door. I don't want to delay you and make you late."
As if breathless, Saydee appeared only able to nod. She reached up one slender hand to sweep rich liquid-gold curls from her eyes. She bowed her chin, a vulnerable, endearing gesture that left his heart reeling and him at a loss for words as he took a step away. He felt weak in a different and new way and took a wobbling step
out into the bitter cold and bright hit of sun. He blinked his eyes, batting his lashes, realizing he'd forgotten his Stetson. He couldn't explain the way he felt, as if his heart stood still, unable to beat as he walked away and left her behind.
Emotion ached in his throat, and the open place in his chest felt ready to crack, the place that no longer felt as if it were well fortified. She'd done that, somehow softening that hard shell life had built up on his heart like barnacles on a hull. He trekked along the garden fence and into the small barn where the horse looked all too happy to see him.
He rubbed the gelding's nose, gave Romeo plenty of grain and left him to eat while he checked on Henson's horse he'd found tied to the back of the stable. The stable, stoutly built, was warm enough to have kept the horses cozy in their thick beds of soft straw. He patted Henson's gelding on the nose, the poor horse looked worse for the wear of having such a brutal master, and if he paid fifty bucks to the dead man and left it in his pocket for the local sheriff to find, then he would legally own the horse.
"I'll deal with you soon, good boy," he promised the shy bay horse who looked whipped and heartbroken over the abuse he'd endured. It would be a kindness to keep the fellow, and he regretted he would need to ride him out on the job instead of pamper him in the stable giving love, affection and constant high regard, not to mention plenty of grain, to make up for his tenure with Henson. Heart heavy, he hitched Romeo to the small little cutter of a sleigh. He shut the door tight and led the mustang the short distance to the back door.
He could see Saydee clearly through the window, looking like a vision as she buttoned up her warm wool coat. A smile brightened her sweetheart of a face when she spotted him, and she grabbed her folded blankets sitting neatly piled on the edge of the table and whipped open the door before he could stop the horse and tromp up the steps to do it for her.
"Oh, thank you, handsome bounty hunter. It's nice not to have to trudge out in the cold and hitch up my sleigh." She plunged into the snow looking like a dream and plowed right on by him. She tucked her blankets onto the front seat. "I sure appreciate you."
"All I did was hitch up your horse." He held out his hand to help her in, and her glove against his was like a wish he could never make again, a brief brush of a touch to a world he could never keep.
"All?" She rolled her eyes, adorable, and plopped onto the cushioned seat. She grabbed one blanket and shook it out over her while he grabbed the other. It was a cozy feeling to lean in and lay the soft length of wool over her.
"I'll see you this afternoon, Winn." Her voice held the quiet notes of a friend as she gave the reins a snap and the horse took off, swiftly pulling the sleigh away from him. She finally remembered. His knees buckled, just a quick hitch, and he grabbed the back gate post, steady once again, glad that he'd chosen Saydee, of all people, to trust.
* * *
She was pleased to hear the grandfather clock down the hall in the Thurman mansion's parlor bong twelve times. Lunch! She was happy to watch little Emilyleigh close her grammar book, politely set down her slate's stylus and push back her little desk chair. She hopped onto her feet, beautiful candy-red skirt belling around her as she whirled and made a dash for the door to escape.
"It's roast beef and gravy sandwiches today," Emilyleigh call out with polite exuberance and a rosy-cheeked grin on her way through the door. "My favorite."
"Mine, too." Saydee closed her book and listened to the girl's feet drum down the corridor and toward the other wing of the house. She smiled as she listened to the echoing sound fade away, ambled over to the window to glance out at the eye-blinding shine of sun on melting snow and thought of home and the guests she'd left there.
Maybe Winn had finally accepted the fact that he needed to rest so his body could heal, although she would worry about it for the rest of the afternoon. Saydee smiled to herself as she headed toward the door, her stomach giving a grumble of hunger. It was easy to follow the scent of roast beef all the way to the dining room.
"Saydee?" A woman's voice rang out in a friendly welcome. Cousin Nola tapped delicately into sight on the wood floor, shoes knelling, and paused by an open doorway. "I missed seeing you when you came in this morning! Goodness, I was running late with all this early season snow. The ranch foreman said not to worry, it will all melt off in a day or two unless we get a long series of storms, so I'm hoping for the best. You're a sight for sore eyes."
"So are you." Saydee livened up her step to catch up with her beloved cousin. "Did your horse get stuck in the drifts again?"
"Elmer does have a tendency to panic in inclement weather, poor horse. But I got him out of the snowbank and back onto the road and was hardly late getting here, but I was relieved to see your Romeo all tucked away in his stall here and not looking worse for the experience."
"We made it just fine without a single incident." Saydee swept up to her cousin, arms open to accept her warm hug. "I'm glad to see you. You're looking flawless, as always."
"Are you teasing me? I'm a mess, look at me. You look as if you survived the blizzard just fine all on your own." Nola held Saydee tight before releasing her. "I told my ma that Pa is right that you should buy the place, although I would love it if you moved closer to us and rented our neighbor's little cottage."
"It's tempting, but I really am hoping that by this time next year, I can buy the place. You know I might have a better paying position here by then and I really love my house."
"I know, I'm just saying I miss the days when you used to live practically across the street, of course, that was before you married Carson, and oh, the fun it was to know you were so close by. I'm glad to see you well and looking so lovely this today."
"You are too good to me, and I love you for it," she said with great cheer. She appreciated how her cousin and family looked out for her, and she sure tried to do the same, always touched by their love. "How did you all do getting through this early season blizzard? It didn't surprise you, did it?"
"No, we were home and safe and Pa had us all tucked in and battened down just fine. But we were not stocked up, and Ma is right now buying more supplies at the mercantile." Nola led the way down the rest of the corridor. "Not that we did without, but this might be a sign of a hard winter to come."
"I fear that more than you know, dear cousin, and that means we can spend less time gadding about shopping and going to the diner for fun on Saturdays together."
"I can only hope we get a reasonable winter to come so we can have our girl adventures together to the sewing counters all around town. Say, is it my imagination or are you looking a bit peaked? Maybe even a touch exhausted? Did you get enough sleep last night?"
Saydee grinned, unable to admit there was a reason she had stayed awake staring at the dark ceiling unable to fall asleep until much later, thinking of the man sleeping just down the hall. "I love it when you worry about me, but I'm fine and you also have to let me do the same. Did you get enough sleep last night?"
"Well, of course I did. I sensibly went to bed right on time and then laid there wishing I could keep reading and find out what happened next in the book I was forced to put down to go to sleep. And then I worried about Ma's sniffle. What if it turns into the croup? What if Pa catches it next? They have delicate constitutions, you know, and I could hardly get to sleep at all."
"Sounds like your typical night's sleep."
"In that sense it was good, I had plenty of time to worry and think everything over again and again. It's my routine, what can I say? I don't know how to do it any other way."
"Your problem is that you care too much, sweetie."
"I can't deny it." Nola stepped through the doorway and into the eating area of the busy mansion's kitchen. "I've also been worrying about your mother's letter. Don't forget my mother's dear friend's husband is the postmaster in this town. I heard all about it arriving when I got home from work."
Saydee thought of the letter that hurt like a knife wound to her chest. Nola's mother, Peg, was Ma's
sister, and the feud between them would only continue if she added more fuel if she answered. That fire burned hot enough, and painfully so for everyone involved and more painful family drama was the last thing Saydee wanted. "I haven't opened the letter yet, and I'm not sure I should. Too painful."
"That is completely understandable." Nola pulled a plate off the clean stack by the sink and then handed one to Saydee. "You have me to talk to anytime, and if you don't want to talk about it because some things just hurt too much, you can always get me to go shopping with you. Oh, gosh, the sewing projects I've got to get started. I'm behind on starting my sewing. All the Christmas gifts I have coming up, and not just my pa's birthday in November but my mother's too."
"I may have more sewing to do than I originally planned."
"Well I know that feeling!" Nola halted in front of the stove, where bacon and beans steamed in their pot. She grabbed the serving spoon and dished up a big scoop to plop on Saydee's plate. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I've got so many gifts I've vowed to sew. However will I find the time?"
"Are you asking if I'm able to sew a few projects for you?"
"Me? Why, I am thrilled that you've offered." Warmth twinkled in Nola's eyes as she plopped another spoonful onto her own plate. "Maybe you are looking for a little extra sewing income, huh? You just never know what the future holds. Maybe you might find a husband and might need it, huh?"
14
"A husband? Why I would never say no to a wonderful husband, but why would I ever be that lucky?" Her heart felt light because she always held out hope for that, so why did her mind turn right back to thoughts of Winn?
One thing Cousin Nola wasn't short on was enthusiasm. "I was thinking about that last night too, and maybe Ma and I can finally convince you to let us match you up with a nice beau. It's a start to the road for happiness, right? There are plenty of available men here. It's why I've moved out West. And I'm so glad you're here, too. What would I ever do without you?"