The Maid_The Eighth Day

by Rachel Wesson

  “You can’t rush a woman when she sets her mind to doing something. Can you?” Colin twisted the syringe up and down in his hand. He was shaking. Why had Stiles picked him, of all people? Had he heard Cara refused to get married?

  “What about Horatio and Maybelle? I’ve been meaning to pass on my good wishes but I can’t seem to find them. Do you know where they’re living?”

  “No, sorry,” Colin said, trying to sound disinterested as he moved various instruments about.

  “Well, if you see Horatio, let him know I was looking for him…Doc?” Stiles leaned in to Colin’s face, staring at him.

  Colin gulped at the look in the other man’s eyes. He knew.

  “I will, for sure. Now, if you don’t mind, Mr. Stiles, I have patients to see.”

  Stiles gave Colin a withering look as he went out the door.

  Colin looked at the syringe, wishing he could stick something bigger and more painful in the obnoxious man’s backside. How could the railway man know his secret? Who had he been talking to? Cara had been adamant she wouldn’t have anything to do with him, and it was too late to order another bride. Not that he wanted anyone else. Darn it anyway. He needed to see Draven but he couldn’t risk calling on him now. Stiles might be watching.

  He stared at the street outside, growing more nervous by the minute until, finally, Draven showed up.

  “In here, Draven. You got to help me.”

  “What’s up?” Draven drawled as he walked into the office.

  Colin knew Draven got twitchy when surrounded by medical instruments. It reminded him of the time Doc had to pull the bullet from his leg. He quickly filled him in on the questions Stiles had been asking.

  After seeing a few more patients, Colin went over to La Maison to see if there was anything he could do to change Cara’s mind. It had stopped snowing, thankfully, although the air was still cold. After checking on his patient Fina, he asked Cara if she wanted to take a ride. He remembered how much she’d loved being outdoors when she was younger and hoped that the offer to get out for a bit would be too good to pass up, even if he were part of the bargain.

  “Come on, it’ll be fun,” he coaxed. “I know some great climbing trees.”

  Despite some of the other brides looking at him as if he were mad, Cara laughed. Her laugh was infectious and soon everyone was smiling.

  “Can I take that as a yes?” he asked.

  “You win, although I’m not dressed for climbing trees.”

  “Never stopped you before,” he murmured as he held her coat, his words for her ears only. Her cheeks blushed the prettiest shade of pink.

  Chapter 12

  Climbing trees. Was he mad? It had been about ten years since she had climbed up a tree. Well, at least five anyway. Was he teasing her because he liked to get a reaction or because, in his eyes, she was still a child? The feel of his fingers as he brushed the skin of her neck accidentally when helping her into the wagon made her whole body shiver. Just as sitting close to him on the wagon made her ache to move closer so their sides were touching. She shuffled, trying to get her feelings under control.

  Although thankful to get away from La Maison des Chats for a while, Cara wasn’t sure going for a ride with Colin was a good idea. She could tell he was uncomfortable, too. He kept darting glances at her but he didn’t say anything. She hated not being in control of her feelings or her thoughts, but being around him made all her senses swim. If only there wasn’t the issue of Thomas or Colleen or that pesky murder conviction hanging between them. She sighed loudly.

  “Are you alright, Cara?”

  “Can we stop here a while, I need to ask you something.”

  Colin nodded before bringing the wagon to a standstill.

  “Why do you have to get married? From what I hear, there were plenty of other men willing to take a bride. In fact, the story goes you drew straws,” she said, hoping it was just a story. But the look on his face confirmed that was not a rumor.

  “I had to do my part. I want to see Noelle live up to its potential. I know it doesn’t look like much now, but you should see this area in the summertime. The view goes on for miles. The air is fresh. The meadows are just made for children to run around and play. It’s a safe, healthy place to raise a family.”

  Cara followed his gaze. Although the meadows were covered in snow, using her imagination she could see what he described. The regal mountains in the background, the fast-flowing rivers full of fresh, clean water, the openness of everything. She loved it, too, and she had only been there less than a week.

  But his answer wasn’t good enough. It was only an excuse if what Jolie had said was true.

  “But you could have just stayed living here. The terms were that twelve grooms had to get married. Nobody insisted you did.”

  He paused, looking over her head as if trying to find the right words. Then he looked straight into her face. “I’m lonely. I guess I wanted a wife and, in time, some children. I’m tired of eating at Nacho’s every evening and going home to empty rooms. I miss what me and Tony had growing up.”

  Cara gulped at the look of pain in his eyes when he mentioned his younger brother, Tony. She hadn't known him as well as Colin. He was more of an indoor type, scholarly, and rather sickly, although that hadn't stopped him from marching off to war. He’d died in Andersonville. She could still picture the pale-faced young boy with the solemn eyes. “He wanted to be a priest, didn’t he?”

  Colin nodded. She sensed he was fighting his emotions and didn’t want to appear weak in front of her.

  “I am sorry for your loss, Colin. Tony was a nice boy. But why didn’t you come back to live in Boston after the war?”

  The look he gave her reminded her why. But if he were innocent as he claimed, he could have come back and cleared his name.

  “Why here?” She was desperate to understand. Was it simply a place to hide from the authorities, or was it more?

  “I love it here, Cara. Here, I’m free.” He took a deep breath. “You have no idea what freedom means. In Boston, we had to adhere to certain standards. We had to be seen in the right places, with the correct people. If I were to work, I would be expected to take up a position as befits my background as the esteemed Dr. Cowan’s son. I would have spent my career treating rich people’s perceived ailments. Their bunions or their gout.”

  The look on his face made Cara smile but she kept silent, willing him to continue.

  “People care too much about who you are and what company you keep rather than what difference you make to the lives of those around you. Here in Colorado, in places like Noelle, everyone is too busy trying to survive to spend much time wondering if your cravat is on straight or your dress is a certain length. Not that people don’t gossip. Of course they do, but it's not the same as back in Boston. Growing up, I felt…stifled. As if the entire country was crowding in on top of me and I couldn’t breathe. Do you know what I mean?”

  She did, only too well. She had spent the last number of years kicking back at the restraints society placed on her behavior—the continuous arguments with her mother over what was considered acceptable and what wasn’t. But she was a woman. It was different for men. They were free to do what they liked. Weren’t they?

  “I couldn’t bear feeling imprisoned again. It may sound dramatic comparing Boston society to the inside of a prison cell, but that’s how it seemed to me. I know you probably won't believe me. You’ll think I am hiding out here and I guess…well, in a way I am.” Colin turned to face her. “I will never live in a big city again. That’s not what I want. Not for me or for my family if I am so blessed.”

  “What do you want?” she asked quietly, hoping against hope he would say he wanted her. Not just a bride, but her as the mother of their children.

  “I want to be free. Or as free as it’s possible to be when you live among other people. I want a happy family living in my comfortable house. But I don’t care about having lots of money, servants and all the other trappings w
e had growing up. I want my children to play in the mud, climb trees, ride horses across meadows. I want to go fishing with my sons.” He flashed a grin at her. “Or my daughters.”

  He remembered. She had trailed after him and Thomas when they were kids. He had taught her how to fish, helping her to land her first one. Thomas had taken it off her pole, thrown the fish back into the water and sent her home with a box on her ears for good measure. Not satisfied with that, her brother had told their mother and she’d been soundly thrashed for behaving like a hoyden.

  “It may sound big-headed or proud to you, but I want to make a difference. I want to save people. Be a real doctor.” He’d gripped her hands rather tightly but didn’t appear to notice. “People die out here from lack of basic care. In many cases, the correct treatment at the right time would save them. I’m not talking about advanced surgical knowledge. And of course, there will always be those that can’t be saved. But right now, children and their parents die from a lack of knowledge. A simple cut can prove fatal. I want to change that. I want to help people. I don’t want to be responsible for people dying. Not again.”

  Cara pulled her hands back. He was a murderer. He had just admitted it. The day lost its shine. Colin Cowan didn’t want her. Any woman would do, so long as they let him live his ideal life. In hiding, under an assumed name.

  “Take me back to town, please.” She forced her voice to stay steady.

  “Are you alright? Did you get too cold?”

  “I just want to go back. Please,” she mumbled, trying to keep the tears from her voice. She wasn’t going to cry in front of him or any other man ever again.

  Chapter 13

  When they got back to town, Colin insisted on accompanying her into La Maison des Chats.

  “Cara, please talk to me,” he said once they were in the warmth of the parlor. “I thought we were making progress out there. That, if nothing else, we may have rediscovered our friendship?”

  Cara turned away from him. It hurt too much to look at him.

  “Cara, please. What you think of me, the terrible things you believe I did, they’re not true,” he said.

  “Thomas came home from the war a hero. He lost the use of his leg for his country. He paid a high price and you want me to believe…to believe my brother told lies about you? If you’re not the coward or murderer he said you were, then why would he say it?”

  Colin was silent. She closed her eyes, picturing Thomas’s face in her mind that day her brother had told them his story. Her family had listened in shocked silence as Thomas had told them of Colin’s betrayal, how he’d killed those men in cold blood right before being captured and sent to Andersonville. She remembered how sad Thomas had been, recounting the horrible things his best friend had done.

  Unless…the color drained from her face as she reached for the chair. He moved behind her. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck. Gently, he put his arms on her shoulders and turned her to face him. Putting his finger under her chin, he forced her to look at him.

  “You seem to find it easy enough to believe I’m a murderer and a coward. Why not him? What makes us so different?”

  She opened her mouth but he didn’t give her time to say anything.

  “I know he’s your brother, but you’ve known us both your whole life.”

  “Yes, but…”

  “But what, Cara? Think back to when we were younger and you used to trail after Thomas and I all the time. Did I ever do anything to give you the impression I could kill someone?”

  “You killed people in the war.” Even as she said the words, she knew she wasn’t being fair.

  “I was a soldier. That’s what soldiers do. But you’re accusing me of murdering a man in cold blood. Did I give you any reason to believe me capable of going that far? I’m a doctor. My whole existence is to save people.”

  Cara was about to argue back but…he was right. He had never given her cause to believe he was capable of something so horrendous. Unlike the other boys, he had never hunted for sport, only for food. He had insisted on putting back the smaller fish when they had gone fishing. He tended injured animals with the same care and attention he now showed his patients.

  “You do remember?” he said softly, a hint of hope combined with desperation in his expression.

  She couldn’t admit he was right. That would mean admitting her brother was… “That was before the war. You said yourself war changes everyone.”

  “It does, but not the man deep inside.” He flung his hands by his side. “But you believe what you want to.”

  Torn between wanting to believe him and loyalty to her family, she said desperately, “You can’t expect me to believe my own brother…my blood…is a murderer.”

  She held her breath at the look of hurt on his face before he realized she had seen it. He turned away and picked up his hat before inhaling loudly. He turned back to look at her. “No, I guess it is easier to believe I am.”

  He stalked out, leaving her alone in the parlor room.

  She closed her eyes but could still see the look of devastation on his face. Her instincts screamed he was telling the truth. But what he said about Thomas…could it really be true?

  Chapter 14

  Colin drove the wagon back to the livery, trying to forget the ugly conversation. Cara believed him to be a murderer. Whatever hope he had for them was gone. He needed a drink, but first he had to check on Fay.

  As soon as he arrived, he knew something was wrong. His horse was making funny sounds as her eyes rolled in her head. Not only was she in pain, but her fear was palpable. He stroked her nose to try and calm her down and then promised to get help.

  He raced to find Woody, Noelle’s animal expert. He could probably help Fay but his hands were shaking too much. On his way to the livery, he’d passed Buck and his long lost sister, Meizhen, Woody’s bride-to-be. Buck and Meizhen finding each other after all these years was proof miracles did happen, only not for him. But he couldn’t think about that now.

  He didn’t stop—he couldn’t afford to. He had to get help for Fay. With relief, he finally spotted Woody and waved him over.

  “Woody, come quick…Fay…” Colin couldn’t speak he was so breathless, but Woody got the message. His friend ran toward the livery with Colin chasing after him. Woody said something to Meizhen as he ran past but Colin couldn’t hear what he’d said. He was surprised to see her lift her skirts and race after Woody as well. Culver Daniels, the blacksmith and livery owner stepped out of their way as Colin and Meizhen skidded to a halt outside the stall where Woody was examining Fay. He caught the worry and anguish on Woody’s face. Not Fay. Please don’t let me lose her.

  He was surprised to see Meizhen climb over the stall wall and put herself in front of the horse. The girl was agile.

  As he’d suspected, the foal was breech. Woody was doing his best but the chances of both mom and baby surviving were slim. Holding his breath, he watched Woody working calmly and quickly. He thought that at least if he ever did have to leave Noelle, at least they had Woody to help with the difficult births.

  What was he thinking? He didn’t want to leave Noelle. These people were his friends.

  After several anguishing minutes, the foal was born…only it wasn’t a foal, but a mule. What on Earth? His thoroughbred horse had gotten flighty with a donkey?

  “I will marry you.”

  The sweet voice broke into his thoughts. Colin’s head swiveled as Meizhen announced she would marry Woody. His insides curled with jealousy at the look the couple exchanged, although in his heart he was thrilled for Woody. The man was an exceptional human being and deserved to be happy.

  Judging by the look on Woody’s face, every Christmas present he had ever wished for had just been lavished on him. Colin exchanged a quick glance with Culver. Culver was also looking happy, but then he had reason to be. Colin had met his wife and baby, and the trio looked as happy as Woody now did.

  Colin kicked himself for feeling jealous
at such a happy time. These men were his friends and he should be pleased for them. He slapped Woody on the back. “Thank you so much for saving Fay and the mule. I wish I knew who owned the donkey she mated with. My poor horse should have a foal to look after.

  “She don’t care. She’s a ma now.”

  Colin looked at the way Fay was nuzzling her little one and couldn’t help thinking once again, Woody had hit the nail on the head. So long as mother and baby were healthy, who cared?

  “Come on, you. Best get cleaned up for the wedding.”

  Woody looked down at his clothes covered in the afterbirth and grinned.

  Cara listened as the sound of the wedding festivities tinkled through the window, from the saloon down the street. She had felt awful telling Meizhen she just couldn’t face the ceremony. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to support her friend and wish her luck with her marriage, but she couldn’t handle seeing Colin. Meizhen had been so nice. She had kissed her cheek and told her to believe in magic. Cara didn’t think she believed in anything anymore. It was her brother’s word versus Colin’s. It was hard to believe either of them would deceive her, but one of them must have. She had never fully believed her brother’s story, but that wasn’t the same as thinking him a murderer.

  Colin hid a smile as Woody kissed his bride before Reverend Chase had even started the vows. Everyone laughed when Reverend Chase gently reprimanded the young couple. Colin’s eyes searched the crowd for Cara, eager to share this special moment with her, hoping she would see how happy the couple were and maybe open her heart to him. To them.

  But she wasn’t there. He closed his eyes, seeing the look on her face when he’d left her at La Maison.

  She believed him to be a murderer. After all these years, he had convinced himself he didn’t care what others thought. He knew he wasn’t capable of what he had been accused of and those that knew him well wouldn’t believe it anyway. But he had been stupid and naïve. If Cara and her family, who all knew him better than most, believed it, then everyone did. Why hadn’t he tried to prove his innocence all those years ago?