Cassandra (Bride Brigade Book 3)

by Caroline Clemmons

  He glanced at her. “No thunderheads today so you’re safe from a rainstorm.”

  As primly as she could manage she sat straight. “I believe you’re correct. The sky is especially blue.” She was reminded of Deputy Stanton’s comments on the weather and heat spread across her face.

  He glanced at her again, his expression solemn. “Martha sent ham this time. Figured you might be tired of fried chicken.”

  “Either is fine.” She wished she could think of what to say.

  They fell into an awkward silence. Apparently he wanted to wait until they’d stopped before they had a genuine conversation. That was fine with her but she was keeping her parasol in hand.

  When they reached the cabin, she breathed out her relief. He came around to help her descend and then picked up the basket from behind the seat. Inside the cabin, everything appeared the same.

  He set the basket on the table. “I’ll just take care of the horses.”

  She opened the shutters to admit light and the breeze. Then she cleaned the table and set out the food. After grabbing the bucket, she wandered out to see where to get water.

  He had unhitched the horses and was leading them toward the shed attached to the cabin. “Just set the bucket on the ground and I’ll fill it for you in a second.”

  She did so and went back into the cabin. As she took a seat at the table, she looked at the food. Thick slices of ham, deviled eggs, beet pickles, green beans, candied sweet potatoes, rolls, and a peach pie seemed a lot for two people. She poured them each a cup of the apple cider Martha had included.

  Sam came in carrying the water and set the bucket by the sink. His shirtsleeves were rolled up and appeared wet so she supposed he’d washed up wherever he got the water. He sat at her right and pulled his napkin onto his lap.

  “Looks like a feast. That Lonnie sure is a good cook and Martha was generous with portions.”

  She gazed at him. “Sam, why are we here?”

  He laid both his hands on the table. “Can we have our meal before our discussion? I’ve a lot to say and hate to wait any longer to eat.”

  She shrugged. “I suppose a few minutes won’t matter.” She served her plate. Her stomach was tied in so many knots she only took a few bites for herself.

  He piled on food, his appetite obviously unimpeded by tension. “Spring round up went well. Herd’s growing.”

  “I guess that’s good.” For his boss. At least that meant he’d have a steady job.

  “Bought a new bull. Supposed to arrive this week.”

  “Where from?”

  “Millsap. We try to keep good records and make sure our stock is healthy.”

  “Do you keep the records?”

  He shook his head. “Naw, there’s a bookkeeper who does all that. I’m happier riding the range until time to eat supper. Then I like to relax and read or talk to the others.”

  “I kept books for Grandpa and Daddy the last two years they were alive. Like you, neither of them liked record keeping. I enjoyed it, though.”

  “Don’t say? That’s good to know.”

  “Is your bookkeeper a man?”

  “Sure is. Will Campbell is his name. Likable little man. Kind of mousy, but nice enough and good at his job.”

  “Oh? Is he ‘a little man’?”

  “Yeah. Guess he’s only five feet tall and thin as a rail. No one makes fun of him, though. That sort of thing isn’t allowed. Good natured joshing is okay, but not anything a body could be sensitive about.” He forked a bite of ham into his mouth.

  Toying with her food, she asked, “Have the other men commented on how much time you’re spending in town?”

  He grinned at her. “Do they ever? Ribbing me something awful, but I don’t mind. They mean their teasing in good fun. You ladies at Lydia’s get along all right?”

  “Yes, and that’s surprising for a group of women. Usually there’s someone who gets catty, but Lydia wouldn’t allow that even if it started. Now two are wed so there’s only the five of us. I have my room to myself now that Angeline and Grady married.”

  “You like that better?”

  “I miss her, but I do enjoy having my own space. Josephine was sort of the leader of the seven of us, so she’s missed too.”

  He took a last bit of pie and pushed his plate away. “You about finished?”

  She scooted her chair away from the table. “Yes. I’m not very hungry. I guess I’m nervous about why you asked me here.”

  Scrubbing a hand across his face, he took a deep breath. “This is harder than I thought it would be. First, I want you to look at something I received yesterday.” He pulled out what looked like another telegram.

  Her heart sank to the floor and she fought to keep from crying.

  He handed her the wire. “Don’t get upset, Cassie sweetheart. Read it.”

  Reluctantly, she accepted the paper. She scanned, glanced at him, and reread the telegram.

  Sam. Stop. Arriving Friday the tenth. Stop. Look forward to meeting you. Stop. Thanks for the ticket and cash. Stop. Tell Cassie. Stop. Trenton.

  She clutched the paper to her chest. “Oh, Sam. You sent for my brother? How did you know where to reach him?” Happy tears streamed down her face.

  “Lydia knew and told me. I hope you don’t mind that I asked him to come without letting you know. I knew you were awfully worried about him.”

  He pulled her onto his lap. “Don’t cry, Cassie sweetheart. I thought you’d be happy.”

  She gazed into his beautiful brown eyes. “I am. I’ve worried so about him. I know some boys are on their own at fifteen, but he’s my only living family. He was the youngest anyway and we sort of pampered him. But, he was more mature than I gave him credit for and pitched right in at the stables.”

  He caressed her hair. “Sweetheart, I’ve done a terrible thing. Several terrible things. Let me explain and then please forgive me.”

  Terrible things? Dear heaven, what had he done? “What are you trying to tell me, Sam?”

  “I lied to you by omission. Not just about knowing Jeff Heathington. I guess I’ll just have to blurt this out. I’m not just a cowboy. The Bar D Ranch is mine.”

  His? She leaped off his lap. “You own the ranch? Well, that takes the cake, doesn’t it?” Hands on her hips, she glared at him. “No wonder you can spend so much time in town. How could you accuse me of lying when you misrepresented yourself to me and all the other girls?

  She threw out her hands to her sides. “You must have gotten the men in town in on your deception because no one mentioned you owned your own ranch.” Her eyes widened and she gasped, “Even Lydia?”

  “Now, sweetheart, just listen. You know Edith married me for my money. I was determined that would never happen again. I didn’t think of it as lying. I never said I didn’t own the ranch.”

  “Oh, no? You talked about your boss as if there was another person when you meant yourself. You have a nerve, Samuel Drummond. How could you be so deceptive and not know you were a bald-faced liar?”

  She picked up the remains of the candied sweet potatoes and dumped them on Sam’s head.

  “Aww, Cassie, why’d you have to do that? I said I was sorry.” He picked up the napkin and wiped gooey sweet potatoes from his face and shirt, but a big lump of potato stuck to his brown hair.

  “No, you asked me to forgive you but you never said you were sorry. You also didn’t apologize for accusing me of lying when I told you the truth. Or for breaking my heart.”

  “I was still hurt, still messed up. Please, Cassie sweetheart, forgive me and let’s get this straightened out.”

  She couldn’t stand seeing that sweet potato on his head. She picked up her napkin and plucked off the offending vegetable. “Don’t sweetheart me, you two-faced, lying… ranch owner, you. Do you have any idea how miserable I’ve been?”

  “Yes, because I’ve been just as miserable, maybe more because I felt guilty. Most of the night I can’t sleep. When I do finally drop off, I see your face
with tears streaming down your cheeks. You can’t be any madder at me than I am at myself.”

  She shook her head. “Ohhh, I wouldn’t count on that, Samuel Drummond. If I had a gun right now I’d probably shoot you.”

  “No, you wouldn’t, Cassie my love. The most you’d do is punch me in the nose and knee me. I’m glad you didn’t, though. I need all my parts functioning so we can have children.”

  She couldn’t speak. She wanted to hit him, and cry, and laugh all at the same time.

  He got down on one knee. “Cassie Bradford, would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”

  What could she do? She didn’t want to let him off this easy after all the heartache he’d caused her, but her heart melted for this man.

  She nodded. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  He rose to kiss her.

  She stepped back and stared at the mess on his shirt and hair. “I can’t even kiss you because you’re all sticky and gooey.”

  “I’ll be all the sweeter.” He swung her into his arms and kissed her.

  When he broke the embrace, she laughed and launched herself at him.

  Later when she tucked her head under his chin, he pulled back to look at her. “Now you’re as sticky as I am. We’ll have trouble explaining your appearance to Lydia. She’s already mad at me.”

  She put her hands on his chest. “Sam, everyone in town is mad at you, and I mean everyone.”

  He pulled her to the table. “Sit down and let’s talk. I want to know all about your life in Virginia.”

  She sighed and wondered where to begin. “When I was born, my family lived in the house that now belongs to Jeff Heathington. Grandpa had a large dry goods business plus he owned warehouses and several buildings he rented to other businessmen. My father was an architect who owned several houses he rented to others.

  “When the war arrived, most of Richmond was demolished, but our home and several of the rental houses were spared. The businesses, though, were mostly rubble. What little was left of the dry goods business was looted and disappeared.

  “After the war, the carpetbaggers came in and set impossible taxes on Virginians. Papa and Grandpa couldn’t scrape up enough to pay taxes on our home, but they saved the best rental house. That’s where we moved when that awful Jeff got our family home for taxes.”

  He caressed her back. “I’m sorry I believed him, Cassie. I hope you can forgive me.”

  His lack of trust had hurt so much she couldn’t answer. “Jeff had played both sides in the war so that he’d have contacts no matter who won. His perfidy paid off and he had a lot of money. He got our home, a lot of our furniture, our horses, almost everything we owned. We moved into one of Papa’s rental houses. The former residents had fled to California.”

  He still caressed her back. “Aw, sweetheart, I’m sorry. How did you survive in the new house?”

  Concentrating was difficult with him touching her so gently. “Since Papa was an architect, he found plenty of work helping rebuild the town. Grandpa gave up and retired. He spent his days reading and taking walks. Grandma adjusted better than my mother. Mama still mourned the loss of her home, the furnishings she’d left behind, and the opportunities for her children. The boys especially missed the horses.”

  “Was this house large enough for two families?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Barely. We had four bedrooms. Tamara and Deborah and I had to share and that seriously crowded the room. They slept in the double bed and I had my own cot. Trenton and Jack shared a room. The house was so crowded with furniture Mama had saved that we could barely walk through the rooms.”

  She sagged at the memory then pulled herself upright. “I imagine that’s why the flames spread so quickly. By the time the neighbors were aware of the fire, no one could get close enough to rescue my family.”

  He pulled her back onto his lap. “I’m so sorry, sweet Cassie. I’m thankful you and Trenton escaped. Your kindness to an elderly woman saved you.”

  She laid her head on his shoulder. “I miss my family so much. Sometimes I don’t think I can bear the loss. If not for Trenton, I don’t know what I’d have done—probably given up. He was only ten and he needed me. For days, we mostly hugged one another and cried.”

  He kissed her hair. “And you had to go to work as a maid in your own house. That must have been hard. I wish you could have been spared that indignity.”

  “You’re right, working there was awful. But, I couldn’t find another place that would let me keep Trenton with me. Jeff hired me so he could humiliate me. He hated my family because my great-grandpa had inherited and his grandfather hadn’t. But, his grandfather had received land and cash that he somehow lost. Still, Jeff had always blamed us.”

  He hugged her to him. “You never have to see him again. And your brother will be here next week so he’ll never have to tolerate poor treatment or worry about money again.”

  She leaned back to look into his eyes. “Oh, do you have money to go with your ranch? You mean we won’t really live in this cabin?”

  His beautiful brown eyes sparkled. “Yes I do. Ranchers are mostly cash poor, but I’ve been fortunate. We have a large house. I’m can’t compare to Astor or Vanderbilt, but we’ll have all the money we need to be happy.”

  She exhaled a whoosh of relief and expectation. “Sam, I came here looking for riches so I could give Trenton what we’d lost. Now all I need to be happy is you.”

  “Cassie sweetheart, you definitely have me. I’m sure you’ll want to wait until Trenton is here to wed. How about next Saturday?”

  “That sounds perfect.” She climbed from his lap to stand. “What do you say we have another helping of our picnic? There seems to be no more sweet potatoes, but there are plenty of other dishes.”

  He grinned at her. “If I can’t have you, I’ll have to settle for ham and deviled eggs.”

  Later, Cassandra replaced the containers in the basket then stood to wash the dishes.

  He plucked up the tablecloth from the basket. “I’ll use this to dry them. Those napkins would only make everything sticky again.”

  She plunged her hands into the tepid water. “I might have been so angry I lost control.”

  He chuckled. “Might have been? Honey, you scared the hell out of me. Sure am glad you didn’t have a gun nearby.”

  She held a dish in her hands like a discus. “Do you promise to trust me in the future?”

  His eyes widened and he held up his hands in surrender. “Yes. I say we’re truthful with one another. No omissions either.”

  She washed the dish and handed it to him. “What’s your ranch house like?”

  He shook his head. “Uh uh. Not until we’re married. Then I’ll take you there and you’ll rule the place. Plenty of room for your brother to live with us, too.”

  She finished the dishes and dried her hands on one end of the tablecloth. “Thank you for including Trenton. And for sending for him.”

  He tossed the damp cloth on the table and held her shoulders. “Cassie sweetheart, all I want is for you to be happy and to be my wife for the rest of our lives. I can’t promise never to hurt your feelings again because I’m just a clumsy cowboy, but I promise I’ll do everything in my power to see no one hurts you again.”

  “That’s good enough for me, cowboy.” She looked at her lapel watch. “I’d better sweep up the mess I made. Time we got going. I’m eager to share my good news.

  “That we’re going to be married?”

  She grinned at him as she grabbed the broom. “That my brother is arriving Friday.” She nudged his shoulder as she cleaned near him. “Of course that we’re engaged, you idiot. Everyone will be so relieved. They knew I’d threatened to become a mail-order bride.”

  He frowned at her. “Surely you wouldn’t have, would you?”

  She scooped up the residue and tossed it outside. “I certainly would have. Sam, I couldn’t live near you and see you yet never be with you, never feel your arms around me or surrender to
your kisses. Leaving would have hurt me terribly, but perhaps I’d find someone for whom I could share a fondness.” She folded the damp tablecloth and placed it in the basket.

  He cupped her chin so he looked into her eyes. “If you’d left, I’d have come after you, Cassie Bradford. I can’t live without you.”

  “Then I guess it’s a good thing you changed your mind. Now, let’s go tell the others.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sam walked into Lydia’s with Cassie, but he knew he appeared sheepish. If his Cassie wanted him here when she announced their engagement, by golly he’d be here.

  Cassie paused at the entrance to the parlor. “Ladies, I have big news.”

  Lydia came out of her office and the other girls hurried over.

  Ophelia’s smile lit the room. “You’re engaged. Didn’t I tell you?”

  Lydia peered at him then at Cassie. “When’s the big day?”

  “Next Saturday. But, there’s more. Sam sent for my brother, Trenton, and he’s arriving Friday. Isn’t that wonderful? He’ll be able to walk me down the aisle.”

  Lydia smiled at him. “Yes, that is a wonderful surprise.” She hugged Cassie. “I’m very happy for you both—and for Trenton.”

  Cassie held Lydia’s hands in hers. “Thank you so much for letting me come here. I’ll never be able to repay your kindness.”

  “Nonsense. Just be happy and have lots of children.”

  Sam smiled. “I’m willing to do my part.”

  Cassie pretended to be shocked. “Samuel Drummond, what a thing to say. You go on now. We have a wedding to plan.”

  Rachel tapped a finger on a patch of sweet potato stuck to Cassie’s chest. “And maybe you can explain all that sticky stuff on you two. That’s bound to be an interesting story.”

  Cassie blushed beautifully. “That’s kind of embarrassing. I was a little upset with Sam and upended the sweet potatoes on his head. Then later, when he kissed me, some of the mess transferred to me.”

  Sam would have loved to hear more, but he knew when he was superfluous. He chuckled and left Lydia’s. He climbed into the buggy and started toward the livery. As he passed Adam, he stopped.