Whispers on the Wind

by Brenda Jernigan

  “Sounds dreadful.” Judith walked over to a wardrobe and pulled out a drawer. She removed a white flannel gown trimmed with pink lace, and a wrapper. She shook out the garments. “You are about the same size as my daughter, so you might as well use her clothes. They have just been lying there collecting dust for years.”

  “Oh no, ma’am, I couldn’t,” Mary protested, holding her hand up and shaking her head.

  “Nonsense. I insist. Lisa wouldn’t have minded at all. Now, you rest. In the morning everything will look much better," Judith insisted. She handed Mary the gown, and then gave her a hug. “You get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll see you in the morning.” Judith paused at the door. “Should I have a tray of food sent up?”

  “I can wait until morning,” Mary replied. “Good night”

  Judith didn’t see the tears in Mary’s eyes before she shut the door. Mary had never known anyone to treat her so nicely, and she didn’t even know this woman.

  She removed her clothes and wondered if tomorrow would truly be better, because right now nothing was making much sense to her. She was so weary that she stretched out on the bed and snuggled under the green quilt She felt so very much alone. Though she had no idea what had happened to her, she knew she must be in trouble, and she had no clue what to do.

  Mary needed a plan, but until she knew what had really happened, she couldn’t even do that She just hoped to God she figured something out before she was arrested and hung for something she hadn’t done.

  Rick turned to Carter as soon as Judith and Mary had disappeared around the comer. “I wonder if your ma realized that you came home, too?”

  Carter chuckled. “I’m not too sure. But she does seem happy that I brought the girl, no matter who she is.” He rested his hand on Rick’s shoulder. “I don’t know about you, but I’m too damned tired to think of much of anything tonight Let’s grab our gear and turn in. We can talk with Mother tomorrow. She’s going to want to know everything we’ve been doing.”

  “I’m with you,” Rick said. “I got a feeling your mother is going to want to know everything about the girl.”

  “I think you’re right But she’s just going to have to get in line. I want to know many things about our Mary. The sooner her memory returns, the better.”

  Chapter Four

  Carter was awakened by the morning sunshine pouring in through the window, which meant if they were lucky, warmer weather was just around the corner.

  He had to admit that last night had been the best sleep he’d had in a long time. He stretched. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he didn’t have to worry about being shot in the middle of the night while he slept, or maybe it was because this was really home. No matter how far he roamed, a part of him would always be here at the ranch.

  Time to get moving. He threw off the covers and strolled to the window to look out. The room was chilly since the fire had burned down, but the sky outside was clear. No snow today. Carter’s mood improved greatly.

  He dressed and went downstairs to the dining room, where he found Rick and his mother already at breakfast. Since when did Rick beat him out of bed? I must be getting soft, Carter thought

  Judith Monroe looked at Carter with pride. She couldn’t help admiring her son. He’d grown into a handsome man with good, strong features. She’d bet he had turned many a woman’s head since he’d been away. However, knowing her son, he probably hadn’t noticed. He was too focused on his job. He’d managed to build a wall around himself, which she didn’t like, either, but if she said anything, he would deny the truth and withdraw more. If nothing else, Judith wanted his time at home to be pleasant

  However, if she could show him that there was more to life than work and the insistent wish for revenge that drove him, she might have a chance to turn her son into the loving man he could be.

  She missed her daughter, too, and always would, but after a while the pain of her loss had finally receded to a dull ache. Now, it was time to put the past behind them.

  As Carter took his seat at the table, Judith admired his stubborn chin and those wonderful black eyes. Sometimes he was too much like herself, she thought. She smiled at him with a mother’s pride.

  Once she’d expected him to take over the ranch. It had looked hopeful, until his sister was—well, Judith didn’t want to think about that. Not this morning, when she was so happy to have her son home again where he belonged.

  “The girl hasn’t come down yet?” Carter asked as he served himself a large helping of scrambled eggs and sausage from the plate on the sideboard.

  Judith took a sip of hot coffee, swallowed, and thought, Could it be that he might care just a little for the girl? Since those had been the first words out of his mouth, she wondered. “I just sent Maria up to check on her. How long are you staying?”

  “Not sure.” Carter reached for the yellow crock of butter. “How is Sheriff O’Tool?”

  “On top of the bullet wound,” his mother said, frowning that Carter hadn’t answered her first question, “now he has influenza. It’s hit the town pretty hard.”

  Rick was buttering his toast when he glanced up. “That’s too bad. At least he won’t have to worry about anything now that we’re here.”

  “Very true. "Judith frowned again. “But I hate to know that the town has to have a catastrophe before I can get you to come home.”

  Carter noticed that she was looking directly at him as he finished off his eggs. “I hear you, Mother. I have not forgotten about you. I’ve been busy. And I have a lead—”

  He didn’t finish because the girl came through the door and stopped. She looked nothing like the waif he’d rescued. Her blond hair was soft and shiny, tumbling around her shoulders. She wore one of his sister’s gowns, but it had never looked like this on his sister. It was a royal blue color that complemented her complexion, and made her eyes just that much bluer.

  “Have a seat, dear,” Judith said, motioning to a chair next to her and directly across from Carter.

  Mary felt funny walking into a room full of strangers. It was as if her life had only begun two days ago. And, in a sense, it had. She wasn’t the same person she’d been before, and she definitely wasn’t in the same location, but since her money had disappeared along with her horse and the life she’d once known, she didn’t have much of a choice but to play along until she knew what had really happened.

  Noticing that everyone was still staring at her, Mary felt as if she were walking in a cloud of uncertainty. If she took the wrong step, she’d fall through a hole, go tumbling into nowhere, and never be heard from again. How long had it been since she’d even resembled a woman?

  “I’m not dressed properly?” Mary asked when they continued to stare at her.

  “You are lovely, my dear.” Judith smiled. “Come in. We won’t bite.”

  Mary smiled slightly at that and stepped toward the table. A big Mexican woman swept through the door with a bowl brimming with scrambled eggs and tortillas and set it down at Mary’s place.

  “Oh my,” Mary said as she looked at all the food in front of her. There were eggs, toast, and large slabs of ham. And in a separate bowl was a large portion of home fries waiting for her.

  “I thought you might be hungry this morning,” Judith said with a bright smile. “When was the last time you ate?”

  Mary opened her mouth to say something, then thought for a moment It has been at least two days ago. She could remember cooking for Big Jim and—someone else. But who? And why couldn’t she remember eating?

  “That must be a hard question,” Judith chuckled.

  Mary smiled. “I was trying to remember. It must have been before I was hurt, because I’m starving as if it’s been days.”

  “Good. I’m glad to hear that,” Judith said. “Not that you haven’t eaten, but that you have an appetite. That’s a sign your body is healing.” She picked up a brown earthenware pitcher and poured Mary some milk. “Now that we’re all here, tell me how you and my son came to b
e together.”

  “She really doesn’t know much, so I’ll answer,” Carter said as he sat back in his chair, holding his coffee cup between his hands. “When we came across Mary, she was upside down in a snow bank. We thought she was dead. From the looks of her she’d been there several hours. She was unconscious and barely alive. As you can see by the lump on her head, she has a concussion. I’m glad to see the swelling has finally gone down some.”

  Judith turned to Mary. “What in the world were you doing out in that kind of weather? And all alone?”

  Mary hesitated. “I don’t know.”

  “The doctor said she might have temporary memory loss from the knock on her head,” Rick supplied.

  And it’s going to stay that way, Mary thought. She did feel bad lying to this nice woman, but she also didn’t want her neck stretched for something she didn’t do. At least, she didn’t think she’d murdered anyone.

  Judith reached over and patted Mary’s hand. “How scary that must have been for you.”

  Mary nodded, then turned her attention back to her plate. She hadn’t been kidding—she was starving. And the busier she looked eating, the less likely they were to keep asking her questions that she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—answer.

  “You are welcome to stay here until your memory returns.” Judith offered. “Surely your family is very worried about you.”

  Mary nodded again, too overwhelmed to speak. Besides, her mouth was full with the first bite of juicy ham. Yes, her family, Brandy and Thunder, would be worried, that is, as soon as they found out. She’d promised to return home next week for a visit When she didn’t arrive, would they come looking for her?

  Everybody else at the table had entered into an animated conversation, so it gave Mary time to enjoy her food without having to answer questions. It also gave her a few minutes to think about what she would say when she did finally answer.

  Mary didn’t have a normal family. Hers was a very unusual group made up of misfit orphans no one wanted. But together, after much struggle trying to make it on their own, they became close.

  Along with Mary, there were Brandy, Billy, Scott, Ellen, the baby Amy, and her newest little brother, Willie. It was the family that Mary had joined when the women of Independence, Missouri, had placed her in the parsonage run by Father Brown, who’d died soon afterward.

  At first she hadn’t really gotten along with any of them—none of the kids had, and they’d all hated Brandy. She had been the oldest the smartest, the prettiest, and Father Brown’s favorite. When Father Brown died and left Brandy in charge, their safe world had fallen apart. The parsonage had run out of money and would close in a month. They would have been out in the streets if it hadn’t been for Brandy’s quick thinking of becoming a mail-order bride. Of course, at the time Mary thought it was the stupidest thing she’d ever heard.

  Still Mary had hated Brandy. Now Mary realized she had been very jealous and perhaps a little rebellious, but she’d been young then, too.

  Finding no way out of their situation, Brandy answered an advertisement for a mail-order bride, and they soon found themselves on their way to the Wyoming territory. That’s when the whole family met Thunder.

  However, he didn’t want any part of them.

  How Brandy managed to rope Thunder into helping them with their wagon as they went west still amazed her. Somewhere along the way Brandy and Thunder had also managed to fall in love, though neither would admit it for a long time. Finally they all became a family.

  Mary wished Brandy and Thunder were here now to help her. Even her brother Billy’s help would be welcome. They would know what to do. But they were far away, and Mary once again found herself among people she didn’t know and wasn’t sure she could trust. And she really didn’t want them to know anything about her until she was ready.

  She’d just finished the last of her breakfast and placed her fork on the plate when an uncomfortable feeling shuddered through her. Mary looked up to see everyone watching her.

  “Are you all right, dear?” Judith asked.

  Mary realized she hadn’t said a word since she’d started eating. “I’m fine. As you can tell, I was very hungry. I’m sorry for not joining in the conversation.”

  “We can get you something else if you’re still hungry,” Carter said.

  For the first time since they’d been together, Mary looked directly at him. There was something about the man that disturbed her. He was handsome with dark, unreadable eyes. He also had an air of authority and the appearance of one who demanded instant obedience. The problem was, Mary had never been obedient in her life. And she didn’t intend to start now.

  The lines in his face were much softer today than yesterday. He seemed rested. Evidently, it had done him good to come home. Maybe he could be a nice person, but she wasn’t going to stick around long enough to find out—Carter was the law.

  And until she was certain she hadn’t broken it, she was planning to give Carter Monroe a wide, wide berth for the moment. She also didn’t like the way he was looking at her as if he was trying to peer into her mind.

  Carter leaned back in his chair and watched Mary. “Have you remembered something?”

  “I—I don’t remember anything,” she replied, her eyes shifting quickly away from him.

  Like hell she didn’t, Carter thought Why did he feel she wasn’t exactly telling him the truth? It was plain to see from her evasiveness that she was holding something back. “Perhaps in a few days you can tell us something about yourself, so we can get you back to your family.”

  “I hope so,” she replied, meaning it sincerely. Then she changed the subject. “Is this where you live and work?”

  “This is my mother’s home,” Carter emphasized. “Rick and I came back home on temporary assignment. The local sheriff is feeling poorly, so we’ll be here until he’s fit for duty.”

  “I see, but what should I do in the meantime?”

  “You can help me around here,” Judith said. “And maybe once you’re rested and healed, something will help you regain your memory.”

  Carter shoved back from the table and so did Rick. “Mother, we’re going to ride into town,” Carter said.

  “You’ll be home for dinner?”

  “Hope so,” Carter assured her, then they found their hats and sheepskin-lined coats before heading out.

  Mary watched the two men leave. Again, something about Carter puzzled her. She felt different when she was around him, both giddy and scared. Could she be coming down with some ailment? It sure felt like it

  Even though she couldn’t read his expression or tell what he was thinking, he seemed to be able to see into her mind even if she didn’t want him to. And he kept looking at her in a strange way. It made her feel both guilty and giddy at the same time.

  After the men had gone, Mary glanced at Judith. “I don’t think your son likes me very much.”

  “He doesn’t know you.” The expression in Judith’s eyes said something else entirely.

  “I guess you’re right It’s just—”

  Judith placed her hand on Mary’s arm. “Carter doesn’t like things he can’t figure out He also has a demon driving him that I wish would go away.” Judith rose from the table. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”

  Mary followed the woman through the sprawling house. She liked the feeling of spaciousness that surrounded her as they entered the main living area. There was a large fireplace in the center of the wall and three couches, two that faced each other and one that faced the fireplace. Above the mantel hung a large portrait of a very beautiful girl.

  Mary thought she looked very much like Carter and his mother. They had the same dark hair and eyes. “This must be your daughter?”

  “Yes, that’s my Lisa. The portrait was painted six months before she was killed.” Judith patted the seat next to her on the couch. “Come and sit beside me,”

  After Mary sat down, she said, “I am so sorry. I hope they caught and punished the
person who did it”

  “No.” Judith shook her head. “I’m afraid they didn’t” Her voice was very soft and sadness washed over her face. “This isn’t a pretty tale, but one you should know if you’re going to understand my son.” She took a deep breath.

  “Lisa and Carter had gone to town for supplies. Unknown to them, a bank robbery was taking place at the same time. Lisa had been waiting in the wagon while Carter carried their purchases. He came out of the dry goods store, his arms full of packages.

  “He told me that everything else from that point on seemed to happen as if time had slowed. The wagon wasn’t directly in front of the store, but several stores down. When Carter realized what was happening, he ran toward the wagon, but he wasn’t fast enough.

  “The robbers spotted Lisa and swept her from the wagon, then continued on out of town.

  “Carter heard her screaming all the way out of town, but he could do nothing. By the time he’d dropped the packages and pulled out his gun, it was too late. And he couldn’t shoot for fear of hitting his sister.”

  Judith’s voice broke and Mary looked at the tension in Judith’s usually calm face. Mary waited a minute before asking, “Did Carter go after them?”

  “Carter was young then, he did the only thing he knew, he went to the local sheriff, who was slow pulling a posse together. It was five days before they found my little girl. "Judith looked off into nowhere. “Or what was left of her.” Judith’s words hung in her throat, and it took a moment before she could continue. “They had used her badly, then beaten her until we could barely recognize her face.” Judith sobbed.

  By the time Judith had finished her story, Mary was crying, too. She reached over and took the woman’s hand. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” Mary finally managed to get out as Judith clung to her hand.

  “I’ve never told anyone the whole story. And I don’t know what made me open up just now.” Judith wiped the tears from her cheeks. Talking about Lisa’s death always dredged up feelings that Judith thought she had gotten over, but for some reason she’d wanted to confide in Mary. There was something about this child that reminded her of her daughter. “Carter wouldn’t let me see her. That’s when I knew my baby must have suffered.”