The next thing I knew … well …” She felt her face grow hot. “Well, the next thing I knew, he was kissing me. And it was as if all the years melted away and we were back in Chicago—happy and engaged.”
“But that’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know,” Rachel said, giving a bit of a nervous laugh. “I thought I would never see him again, and even if I did, I presumed him lost to me. But this was the second time he assured me of his love. He chided me for not trusting him, begged me to put the past behind us—and when I reminded him that Harvey employees could not date, he proposed.”
“Is that all?”
“He reminded me that plenty of people along the line enjoy both matrimony and Fred Harvey’s employment.”
Simone smiled again. “Rachel, I think you’re finally getting your prayers answered. I mean, why fret over this turn of events? The man obviously adores you.”
“Does he?” Rachel questioned. She twisted her hands together. “I don’t mean to be such a doubting Thomas, but what if this is just some grandiose scheme to win me back, only to turn around and crush me for having betrayed him in the first place?”
Simone raised a brow and asked, “Does that speak to the character of the man you know?”
“But it’s been six years since I felt I honestly knew Braeden, and even now, I see that apparently I didn’t know him well at all. He explained away the incident that divided us, chided me for listening to whispered gossip, and has lamented my lack of faith in him. I don’t know what to do. I want to trust him, but I’m so afraid.”
“Why?”
The question seemed ridiculously simple, but the answer came at great price. “I suppose because I’m afraid of being hurt again. I’m afraid that he truly hates me and has played this like a hand of cards. Well … I just don’t think I could take it.”
“If it were true,” Simone pressed, “and he merely wanted to punish you, what’s the worst thing that could happen?”
“I think I would die.”
Simone smiled. “We both know that isn’t true. Your heart might break and you might decide to never again love another, but I doubt seriously you would die.”
Rachel knew how silly it sounded, but at the same time she thought of how empty her life had been without Braeden. “It might not happen exactly that way, but—” “But you’ll never know if you don’t at least give him a chance. You may well be passing up your last chance for happiness. You’ve prayed about this, right?”
“Not really,” Rachel replied. “I mean, I prayed after we separated. I used to pray God would right the wrong between us and bring us back together, but I never believed it would happen.”
“I can’t believe you, Rachel Taylor—woman of faith—would say such a thing. You’re the one who taught me the benefit of believing in miracles. You helped me to come to understand how important it is to have faith—especially when nothing seems possible. And furthermore, you taught me that no decision should be made without first considering it in prayer. Are you telling me now that you doubt God’s abilities in the matter?”
Rachel sighed. “I’ve never doubted God’s abilities, but I’ve certainly doubted mine.”
“Show me someone who hasn’t.”
“But in this case, Simone, I’m doubting not only myself. I’m doubting Braeden as well. And if I continue to doubt, I may ruin my only chance with him. I don’t want to lose that.”
“Then don’t. From what you say, I must believe that he loves you. Why would the man waste his time in grandiose schemes, as you put it? Men hardly think that way in affairs of the heart. That sounds more like the reasoning of a woman.”
“Truly? Do you really think so?”
“It doesn’t sound like anything Jeffery would ever do. No, if Jeffery wanted to play that role, he would completely snub me. He’d have nothing to do with me. He certainly wouldn’t open his heart to me— going out of his way to make sure I listened to him, pleading his case.
Mr. Parker may be wounded by the past, but from what you are telling me, he sounds sincere in his desire to put it behind him.”
“I hope you’re right. I would really love to agree to his request,” Rachel replied, feeling happiness at the mere thought of marriage to Braeden.
“I wouldn’t fret anymore about this, Rachel. I think after tomorrow’s grand opening, you’ll be under far less pressure and you’ll see for yourself if Braeden is sincere.”
“Tomorrow is just the tip of the iceberg,” Rachel said with the hint of a laugh. “There are so many other problems to consider that I can’t begin to explain.”
“Why not try me?”
Rachel looked at Simone in appreciation. “Ivy Brooks is causing me no end of grief.”
“Jeffery told me that her aunt forced your hand in accepting Ivy at Casa Grande. Is that true?”
Rachel sighed. “Yes. It’s a constant source of frustration, mainly because of how unfair it was to accept Ivy into a position that was considered to be a privileged assignment. Money bought her that position, and money is keeping her in place.”
“The old woman bought your cooperation?” Simone asked in disbelief. “That doesn’t sound like the Rachel Taylor who trained me to Mr. Harvey’s rigorous regimen.”
“No one has bought me,” Rachel replied. “And that’s more than half the problem. Esmeralda Needlemeier haunts my office every other day complaining about one thing or another, and Ivy tries her best to interfere in my life—even where Braeden is concerned. No, I have a feeling tomorrow will just be the beginning of many days of continual conflict and problems.”
“Well, to bring back the subject of marrying Mr. Parker, think how much better it will be to spend your time with a husband at your side, rather than a mere managerial partner. It seems ideal to me. The man would be with you to offer strength and support.”
They heard the back door open and close, and Rachel immediately put her finger to her lips. Simone nodded conspiratorially and grinned.
“Are they as you left them?” Simone questioned as Jeffery took his place at her side.
“Yes, and just as beautifully matched as two geldings could be. So what did you ladies discuss while I was gone?” Simone grinned broader, while Rachel’s face flushed. “Ah,” Jeffery continued, “I can see it must have been of an intimate nature. Did it have anything to do with Mr. Worthington?”
“Reginald?” Rachel asked rather surprised.
“Ah, so you are on a first-name basis.”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “You know I do that with all of my staff. At least when no one is around.”
“Well, Reginald has asked me numerous questions about you and your past. It seems the man can’t get enough information when it comes to you. I’d say he has more than a passing interest.”
“He’s very nice,” Rachel admitted, “but that’s all. He has asked me out to walk with him or to go riding, but I’ve always refused. I can’t see trifling with him.”
“Why would it have to be a trifling?” Jeffery asked.
Rachel looked to Simone for help, but her friend just shrugged her shoulders. Finally Rachel noticed the hour. “Oh my, it’s nearly ten o’clock. I really should be getting back. I have a feeling four-thirty is going to come around mighty early. Are you sure I can’t help you with the dishes, Simone?”
“Absolutely not,” Simone replied. “I’ll have them done before you even reach the front steps of Casa Grande.”
The trio rose together, and after Rachel hugged Simone good-bye, Jeffery announced that he would walk Rachel back to Casa Grande. “I would take you in my carriage and show off my new horses, but since I’ve not yet had time to try them out—” “And since we have scarcely half a mile to walk,” Rachel interjected, “it hardly seems worth the trouble of hitching a team.”
They walked through the night in a companionable silence. The gentle roar of Morita Falls made for lovely night music as they passed over the bridge. However, as they climbed up the
carefully cultivated lawn and passed by the lighted fountain, Rachel noticed a light on in her office.
“That’s odd,” she said, turning to Jeffery. “Someone’s turned on my light.”
“Are you certain you didn’t do it yourself and left it on when you came to see us?” Jeffery questioned.
“No, I’m certain of it. Furthermore, I’m certain that I locked both doors to my office.”
They climbed the front steps and as they reached the front door, they saw a dark form pass before Rachel’s window. Jeffery frowned and put out a hand to stop her once they were inside the lobby. “You wait here and let me check this out.”
Rachel nodded and waited while Jeffery went to the door. Her breathing quickened as she watched him calmly try the door handle, finding it locked. He gently eased the knob back into place, then quickly came back to Rachel as the glow of light disappeared under the door.
“The light just went off!” she exclaimed.
“Quick! Give me the key!”
She handed the key to Jeffery and watched as he raced back, no longer worried about being quiet. He unlocked the door and stepped into the darkened room.
“Who’s there?” he called out.
Rachel bit her lip, wondering if she might at least give Jeffery the assistance of turning on the light. She tiptoed toward the room just as a loud crash sounded.
“Jeffery!”
Without concerning herself over what the consequences might be, Rachel raced into the room and turned on the light just as someone exited the other door, slamming it behind them.
“Jeffery? Is that you?” she called out, uncertain as to who it might have been if not Jeffery. But just as she came to the door, she found the moaning, crumpled body of Jeffery O’Donnell.
For a moment Rachel felt frozen in place. She could see that he was bleeding from a wound on the side of his head, but it all seemed surreal. By the time she opened the other door and glanced down the hallway, the intruder was gone.
“Rachel …” Jeffery barely whispered the word as he struggled to sit up.
“Don’t move,” she ordered, finally back in control. “You’re bleeding.” “I’ll be all … all …” He gasped and fell back against the floor.
“Dear Lord, help me,” Rachel prayed, realizing that Jeffery was now unconscious.
SIXTEEN
KNOWING OF NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN, Rachel ran across the lobby and pounded on Braeden’s office door. After several moments of knocking with no answer, she grew even more fearful. She was just about to give up hope when she thought of the entrance to his private quarters.
Maneuvering past the front desk, she turned to her right and made her way into the darkened shadows where Braeden’s second door could be found. This door opened, she was told, into his private living quarters. If he were in bed, even asleep, he would surely awaken at the sound of her knocking.
“Please answer me, Braeden,” she whispered as she pounded against the door.
It only took a couple of minutes before a very disheveled Braeden appeared. He was struggling to pull up his suspenders and tuck in his shirt with one hand while opening the door with the other, and Rachel couldn’t help but be taken aback by the way he looked.
“Oh my,” she said in a raspy voice.
At this, Braeden stopped fumbling with his clothes and looked up in surprise. “Rachel?” He reached back behind him to twist on the light. “What in the world are you doing here?” Then he grinned. “Come to give me an answer for my proposal?”
She shook her head. “I wish it were that simple. Look, something has happened in my office, and Jeffery O’Donnell is bleeding.”
“What?”
“It’s a long story,” she said, trying to regather her wits. “Jeffery was walking me back from dinner at the O’Donnell house, and we saw a light on in my office. Then we saw the shadow of a figure pass in front of the window. No one should have been there, but Jeffery went to investigate and someone hit him over the head. I need your help, Braeden. He’s bleeding and I have to get him to the doctor.”
Without warning, Braeden pulled her into his room. Rachel tried to pull away, but his grip was too tight. “What are you doing?” she demanded. “I can’t be in here. I can’t be seen in your private rooms.”
“I need my shoes,” Braeden replied, now fully alert. “It would be foolhardy to leave you alone if there’s some madman running around the place hitting people over the head. This will only take a second.” He sat down on the edge of his bed and reached for his shoes.
Rachel felt her face grow fiery hot and quickly turned her back to him. There was something so intimate about seeing him there, sitting on the bed. She stared at the closed door and wondered how she’d managed to get herself into this mess. If anyone saw her coming from his room, her reputation would be in shreds.
“You can turn around,” Braeden told her.
“That’s all right,” she managed to say. “I’ll just stay right here.”
She heard him chuckle and wondered why he thought the matter so funny, but there was little time to further consider it. Braeden came up from behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.
“If you won’t move, we cannot open the door.”
Rachel felt his warm breath upon her neck and shivered from the sensation. “We need to hurry,” she reminded herself aloud. She reached out for the door handle just as Braeden did. His hand closed over the top of hers, causing Rachel to turn and look up into his face. “I’m sorry I had to bother you. I had no place else to turn.”
“Reg wouldn’t help you?” he asked with a mischievous grin.
“He never entered my mind,” she replied flatly. And he hadn’t. When the first sign of trouble had come upon them, she immediately thought of Braeden.
“Good. See that it stays that way,” he said and opened the door.
They hurried across the lobby and found Jeffery regaining consciousness. “Jeffery, don’t move,” Rachel told him, kneeling down beside him. “I’ve brought Braeden to help, but you mustn’t move.”
Braeden moved Rachel’s desk back in order to get closer to Jeffery.
“O’Donnell, can you hear me?”
“Yes,” Jeffery said. His head wobbled back and forth as he struggled to focus his eyes on Braeden.
“We need to get you to a doctor,” Braeden declared. “Rachel, grab one of those linen napkins Mr. Harvey loves so much and wrap it around his head.”
Rachel nodded and ran down the hall to the linen closet. She grabbed a handful of napkins and hurried back to her office. Just as she did, Gwen Carson’s door opened.
“I heard the noise,” the young woman said softly. “Is something wrong?”
“Yes!” Rachel exclaimed. “Mr. O’Donnell has been injured.
Would you run and wake Tomas? He should be sleeping in the storage room. Send him to bring up a carriage from the stables. We’ll have to drive Mr. O’Donnell back to town.” Gwen nodded and, mindless of her robed attire, hurried down the hall to find Tomas.
“Here,” Rachel said, coming into the office. She handed the linens over to Braeden. He quickly folded one into a thick bandage, then ripped another in strips and tied the bandage to Jeffery’s head. “I had Gwen wake Tomas. He should be able to bring around a carriage.”
“Good thinking,” Braeden said, giving her a look of approval.
Rachel relished his gaze. He was proud of her actions, and his expression told her without a doubt that she had done the right thing.
Braeden helped Jeffery to his feet but had to fully support him.
“Did you get a look at who did this?”
“No,” Jeffery managed to say. “In fact, I don’t remember anything but opening the door.”
Braeden turned to Rachel. “What about you? Didn’t you see anything?” “No,” Rachel answered, feeling a deep sense of disappointment. “I wish I could say that I had. I heard the crash, which undoubtedly was Jeffery falling, but when I came in and turned on the light,
the other door was just slamming shut. When I opened it and looked down the hall, the intruder was already gone.”
Braeden nodded. “Let’s get Mr. O’Donnell outside. We can wait on the porch for Tomas, and maybe the cool night air will help clear the haze in his head.”
Rachel followed behind the two men, feeling rather helpless in the matter. Poor Jeffery, she thought, then realized she would have to be the one to break the news to Simone. She only hoped the shock wouldn’t hurt the baby.
“Rachel, you open the door,” Braeden instructed.
She hurried to do his bidding, opening not one, but both of the entry doors. Braeden maneuvered Jeffery onto the porch and helped him to a chair, while Rachel closed up the hotel again.
“Where does the doctor live?” he asked Rachel.
“Just down the road,” Rachel replied. “His house is actually across the street from Jeffery and Simone’s house.”
“And the O’Donnell house is the first one on the right after passing over the falls, correct?”
“Yes.”
“All right. I’ll get Mr. O’Donnell to the doctor and—” “You aren’t going alone. I’m going with you. Simone is a dear friend, and I need to be the one to tell her about her husband.”
Braeden looked as though he might argue with her, then nodded. “Sounds reasonable.”
Tomas then appeared with the buggy. It would be a tight squeeze, since he’d only thought to hitch the lightweight two-wheeler.
“Thank you, Tomas,” Rachel said as the boy climbed down to help Braeden with Jeffery.
“You would like me to drive you, senor?” he asked.
“No,” Braeden replied. “You go on back to bed. I’ll see to putting the buggy away when we return.”
“Si .”
“Rachel, you get in first. That way we can put Jeffery between us. If he passes out again, he can lean against you.”
“All right.” She climbed quickly into the carriage and scooted to the far side in order to give the men more room.
Braeden helped Jeffery up and followed behind in short order.
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