by Karen Kirst
They passed several cowboys outside the bathhouse.
“What’s this, Miss Frazier?” someone called.
“You’re breaking our hearts, you know!”
“What’s he got that we don’t?”
Adam’s stride didn’t falter. “Did you ever consider saying yes to one of them? What could one outing hurt?”
What hurt was that the prospect of her being courted by another man didn’t faze him in the slightest. She’d obviously gotten the signals wrong. He didn’t long for her. He saw her as a fellow boarder, that’s all.
“You know, you’re right. I shouldn’t let my misgivings prevent me from having a little fun.”
He slowed. His gaze flicking to hers, he shifted her higher. “On the other hand, you should be careful not to rush into anything serious.”
They entered the yard. Adam was out of breath by the time they climbed the porch. He gently set her on her feet.
“Adam, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Have you ever wanted to help someone, but you weren’t sure you should?”
The stiffening of his spine was almost imperceptible. “Are you referring to someone undeserving?”
“No, not at all.” She regretted broaching the subject. It was just that, of all the people she’d met in Cowboy Creek, Adam was the one she felt closest to. “I meant, what if you wound up making matters worse?”
“I would say it depends on the situation. In my experience, you can’t force others to accept your help. But if they’re willing, and you’re positive you aren’t breaking the law by doing so, then I don’t see why you shouldn’t.”
Deborah bit her lip. Was she breaking the law by not reporting Liam and Lily? What if their parents were frantically searching for them?
“Deborah?” Adam leaned closer, his gaze consuming her. “If you’ve gotten yourself into a predicament, you can tell me.”
“I—”
The image of Liam’s dirt-streaked face, the hollows beneath eyes too mature for his age, gave her pause. First, she had to earn the boy’s trust. Only then could she think about involving Adam. “I appreciate your advice. I was asking in theory.”
The door swung open and a patient exiting greeted them. “Dr. Mason is in her office.”
Adam was quiet as he accompanied her inside. Once Marlys had greeted them and ascertained the problem, he turned to Deborah.
“I’ll wait for you outside.”
He looked disappointed about something. And worried.
Deborah almost caught his hand and asked him what was bothering him. She dearly wanted to be his friend, someone he could confide in. But how could she expect that from him when she wasn’t willing to offer it herself?
Chapter Eight
He’d thought coming to church would make him feel better. The worship hymns, the gathering of people under one roof to learn about God, the reading of His Word...those things had offered him a modicum of comfort. But the knowledge that Zane Ogden was walking around free and hurting other innocent people made it impossible to truly know peace.
Adam glanced beside him. Deborah, fetching as usual in an elegant dress of lavender trimmed in darker purple, sat with her hands folded atop the open Bible on her lap. Her skin was pale and soft-looking. The gold bracelet around her wrist winked in the sunlight slanting through the high windows.
Was Deborah one of Zane Ogden’s victims? Had she been tricked into assisting him?
The more time he spent with the delightful baker, the more he began to doubt she’d knowingly assist in an illegal scheme. But she might’ve fallen prey to Ogden’s deceit. Her question yesterday had painted a troubling picture.
After escorting her back to the boardinghouse, he’d spent the rest of the day in various establishments chatting with the locals in the full persona of Adam Draper, enterprising cattleman. He’d attempted to ascertain if there was another woman fitting Deborah’s description who might’ve spent time in Centerville in recent months. He’d eaten lunch at The Lariat, browsed the aisles in Hagermann’s and Irving Furniture, pretended interest in a new pair of boots at Godwin’s and finished off the fruitless search with supper at The Lariat. That last stop hadn’t been without merit. From the porter, he’d gleaned an invaluable tidbit—a pair of brothers from New York City were still in residence. The curious thing was they’d never been seen together.
Time to park himself at the hotel.
Deborah closed her Bible. Amid the congregants’ shuffling that signaled the end of the service, a middle-aged gentleman stood to his feet.
“Before we dismiss, I’d like to ask for your prayers.”
Reverend Taggart immediately looked concerned. “What’s happened, Ezra?”
“Yesterday morning, my hay stores were deliberately set on fire. I lost it all.” His weathered face was haggard, but there was a determined glint in his eyes. “I have enough savings to purchase supplies for the winter, but with the recent accidents, I’m worried I’ll continue to be targeted.”
Grumblings erupted. Adam surreptitiously scrutinized Deborah’s reaction. She exuded sympathy for the man’s plight, nothing more.
“Accidents, my foot,” another man said. “We aren’t stupid. Someone’s got coal fever, and the ranchers are at risk.”
Jason Mitchell caught Adam’s gaze and arched a brow. Then he addressed the crowd. “What we should be asking is how come Sheriff Getman hasn’t managed to capture the culprits.”
“If Noah was still sheriff, he’d have ended this mess already.”
Noah Burgess left his pew and strode to the front. “I understand your concerns and frustrations, folks. As a rancher myself, I share them. We have to be patient, however, and let the new sheriff do his job. You can help by keeping your eyes and ears open. He can’t be everywhere at once.” He turned to Ezra. “Do you have proof that fire was set?”
He nodded. “My hired hand saw someone riding away from the barns right around the time we noticed smoke. We also found the remains of a kerosene-soaked cloth.”
Noah’s jaw tightened, causing the scarred flesh on one side to pucker. “Can he describe this person?”
Ezra shook his head in defeat. “He was too far away.”
Deborah shifted close to whisper in his ear. “This sounds dangerous, Adam. What if you settle here and become a target like the others?”
The light-as-a-feather touch of her cool fingers on his hand coupled with the sweet fan of her breath across his cheek scrambled his thoughts. He willed himself not to turn his head. They were in church, after all. Not alone on Dr. Mason’s porch. Holding her in his arms had shifted his mind toward nonprofessional avenues. Her scent had enveloped him, her silken hair teasing his chin, her warm curves tucked against his chest filling him with the yearning to continue holding her indefinitely.
Deborah made him think about the future and how he was no longer content being alone.
Why her, Lord? Why now?
There’d been a couple of female Pinkerton agents he was sure had been interested in more than friendship, but he hadn’t been of the mind-set to entertain such possibilities. Now, when he was closer than ever to capturing his prey, would his single-minded purpose falter?
Praying for strength, he answered her. “It’s not my habit to cower when obstacles arise.”
Her delicate fingers curved around his. “I didn’t intend to question your courage. I’m simply concerned for your well-being.”
Adam couldn’t resist. He shifted their clasped hands to the pew between them, where her skirt folds would prevent anyone from seeing, and brushed his thumb over her inner wrist in a slow, repetitive motion. He couldn’t look at her, though. If he looked at her, he’d be sure to see the same longing waging war inside her. And he’d be hard-pressed not to kiss the surprise from her beautiful face.
“I’m not offended,” he murmured. “I’m grateful you care.”
He heard her soft inhale. Was he out of his mind? Hadn’t he already told her that romance was out of the question?
His behavior surely confused her. And guilty or not, she didn’t deserve to have her feelings trampled.
With immense regret, he released her and busied his hands with his own Bible. Reverend Taggart concluded the service, and conversation replaced the silence. He intercepted Seth’s gaze from a nearby pew. His brother’s raised brows and pointed nod toward Deborah meant Adam would soon be facing an inquisition.
* * *
“The rumors are true, I see,” Hildie spat. “You really were biding your time in order to hook a fat fish.”
The blonde had trailed after Deborah and Sadie, catching up to them beneath the massive oak in the far corner of the churchyard.
Deborah hugged her Bible to her chest. The heat of the June day closed in on her, causing her nape to become damp. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t play coy. You haven’t given the cowboys the time of day, and you broke poor Preston’s heart.” Hands on her hips, disdain twisting her features, she tapped her foot against the hard earth carpeted with lush grass. “And now that a wealthy entrepreneur has come to town, all of a sudden you’re interested in courting!”
A man and woman passing by exchanged glances.
Sadie shushed her. “Keep your voice down, Hildie.”
“Why should I when I’m speaking the truth?”
Deborah’s hand tingled with the remembered imprint of Adam’s touch. That stolen caress had sent an exhilarating charge through her. She searched the yard, settling on his familiar profile as he stood talking with a rancher, Seth Halloway. Adam looked solemn. Was Seth warning him against buying in Cowboy Creek?
The thought of him leaving, of never seeing him again, filled her with sadness.
She schooled her features. “Adam and I aren’t courting. We’re friends.”
“You’ve hoarded his attention from the start.”
“Hildie, jealousy isn’t becoming of you,” Sadie said, drawing a gasp from the other woman. “You can’t force Adam and Deborah to cease being friends any more than you can force him to take more than a passing interest in you.”
Hildie’s cheeks blazed. “I thought we were bound by the same aspirations. I see I’ve misjudged you both.” Whirling on her heel, she flounced off, her wide skirts swinging like a brass bell.
Deborah sought the tree trunk as support. “I hate the idea of being the subject of rumors.”
Her friend turned toward her, sympathy wreathing her. “I hate to add salt to the wound, but Hildie has a point. Plenty of people saw Adam carrying you down Eden Street. And the pair of you seemed awfully cozy in there.” She gestured to the church building.
“He was carrying me to the doctor,” she denied. The poultice Marlys had given her had greatly reduced the swelling in her ankle. The initial pain had lessened into a dull ache. “And we walked over from the boardinghouse. It was natural for us to sit together.”
“I see the way you look at him, Deb.” Her eyes were soft with worry. “He intrigues you like no other man in Cowboy Creek has.”
Lowering her gaze, she ran her fingers over the uneven bark. “He’s not keen to find a wife, at least not yet. And even if he does purchase land, his stay will be temporary. Missouri is his permanent home.”
“You sound as if you’d dearly like him to make Cowboy Creek his home.”
“This is all very confusing,” she admitted, her focus on a grasshopper as it sailed from a tall weed to land beside her boot. “I’ve never felt this way before.”
“You weren’t serious about anyone in St. Louis?”
“No.”
“Why did you leave?”
Deborah pressed her lips together to keep the tale from spilling out. She’d held it in for two months, shouldering the burden alone. Lucy had always provided a sounding board. Without her to confide in, she was bursting at the seams.
“Why were you dressed in your wedding finery?” Sadie persisted. “You clearly weren’t keen to marry. And you’ve been closemouthed about your life there. I’ve entertained several scenarios. The most likely one is that you were running from something.”
Deborah whipped her gaze to Sadie’s. Something in her expression must’ve clued her in. “What chased you from your home?”
“Not a what. Who.” Deborah pushed off the trunk and paced to the edge of the tree’s leafy bower. Adam and Seth were both gone. “I was scheduled to be married the day the bride train pulled into the station. I was running from my groom and my father.”
Sadie tugged her gently around to face her. “You must’ve been desperately unhappy to do something so rash.”
There was no judgment in her friend’s eyes, only the need to understand. “My father betrothed me to his friend and colleague, Tobias Latham. Not only is he the same age as my father, I barely know him.”
The entire story came pouring out, including how, after leaving home with nothing but a single satchel, she was walking the streets of St. Louis and came across a discarded train ticket. Desperate to escape, she’d seized the opportunity presented. Sadie listened without interrupting. When Deborah was finished, she pulled her close for a hug.
“I’m glad you told me,” she said, easing away. “I do have a question, though. Why are you so afraid of your father finding you? You’re a grown woman. He can’t force you to marry Tobias or anyone else.”
She plucked a leaf off the tree and rubbed the smooth side. “You haven’t met my father. He’s a forceful man. I’ve always had difficulty denying him. Add to that the fact that I’ve been a disappointment my entire life, I find myself searching for ways to earn his approval.”
“Let’s say you stayed and married the man he chose for you. Would that have been enough? Or would he have asked more of you?”
Deborah’s shoulders slumped. “I’m not sure.”
But she had a sinking feeling Sadie had a point. Gerard Frazier would’ve expected her to transform into a brilliant hostess for Tobias and their business associates. He would’ve also expected her to provide heirs for his friend. A shudder worked its way through her.
Sadie laid a hand on her shoulder. “I’ve learned that some people are beyond pleasing.”
“My sister doesn’t struggle the way I do.”
“Different children have different relationships with their parents. Deborah, you have to be true to yourself. Follow your own hopes and dreams. Your father may continue to try to control you, or he may ultimately realize that he’s wrong. Who knows? In choosing your own path, you might win his grudging respect.”
An impossible goal, she feared. “All I know is that I’m not ready to face him.”
Nor was she ready to put distance between herself and Adam, despite the speculation swirling around them. She’d simply have to be ever mindful of the many reasons they could only be friends. A future with Adam was about as likely as her father bestowing his love and approval upon her after a lifetime of dissatisfaction.
Sadie linked their arms. “I’ll be praying for you, my friend. God will grant you wisdom. All you have to do is ask.”
They returned to the boardinghouse and helped Mae prepare the noon meal. Hildie did not appear, and neither did Adam. Had Hildie invited him to dine with her at one of the hotels?
Deborah shoved the thought out of her head. She had more important things to worry about. Namely, two children wandering the town without supervision.
To fill the hours until sunset, she and Sadie went berry picking. After her friend left to meet Walter at The Cattleman, Deborah sat in the parlor and wrote her sister a letter. The big house was quiet. While Aunt Mae rested, she experimented with a new dessert idea. The task invited thoughts of Adam and their first meeting. She hadn’t kno
wn him long, and yet he’d made a profound impact on her.
He didn’t show for supper. Hildie hadn’t yet returned, either. The meal was a subdued affair. Deborah insisted on doing the cleanup herself, which would give her a chance to pack another basket for Liam and Lily.
The moment the sun slipped below the horizon, she set out. It didn’t take her long to reach the woods where she’d first encountered them. This time, she carried a lamp. She didn’t want to aggravate her injury.
But they didn’t show. After a half hour of pacing and jumping at every sound, she decided to expand her search. The temptation to quit assailed her more than once. She ignored it. Liam and Lily needed her.
Another hour passed as she explored the vacant, overgrown lots closer to the smelly stockyards. Her ankle began protesting in a major way. Her oil was getting low, too. When a cloud passed in front of the moon, discouragement filled her.
God, please lead me in the right direction. These kids are hungry and dirty and scared. They’re runaways, like me. Help me help them.
She stood in the midst of a small clearing, unsure which way to turn.
The clouds glided beyond the moon, and there in the pale light stood a tent.
She’d found their hideout.
Chapter Nine
“It’s too early to go to sleep, Liam. Please light a candle.”
“Someone might see us,” he said, his voice strained and thin.
Hearing their voices, Deborah crept closer, trying to formulate a greeting that wouldn’t send them screaming into the night. They were inside the tent, the flaps pinned back to admit air.
“I don’t want to stay in here anymore. It’s dirty and there are bugs.”
She pictured the slight girl crossing her arms in a huff.
“I know.” Liam’s tone softened. “But this is better than—”
“What is it?”
“Shh. I think I heard something.”
Deborah took a steadying breath and stepped forward. “Hello? Liam? Lily? It’s me, Deborah. I’ve brought more food for you.”