Cassandra Austin (5 page)

“Rosalie? Nothing serious, I hope?”

He shook his head. “Let’s get the table cleared.”

Jane stood as he did. “You don’t need to help.” Even as she said it, she was hoping he would stay. The kitchen seemed so empty with Grams gone. Fortunately, he shrugged off her token objection.

“Seriously,” she began, as they each carried a
stack of dishes toward the kitchen, “when
are
you going to take your first riding lesson?”

“Seriously?” Adam sat his stack of plates on the kitchen table before he answered. “I don’t think I’m going to tell you.”

It felt so good to laugh. “I promise not to tell.”

He seemed to think it over. She knew she needed to get started on the dishes. There was food to put away. There was also a companion in her kitchen and she watched him instead.

“I was considering an hour before dawn.”

“No witnesses?”

“Right.”

He returned to the dining room. for more dishes, and Jane followed after him, laughing.

At the table he spun around to face her. “So. How good a horsewoman are you?”

“Me? I’ve never ridden.”

“Never?”

“I grew up in the city. Besides, there was no money.” Surprisingly, she didn’t feel defensive as she said it.

“And no place to go,” he added, nodding. “Same for me. But you’ve been out here awhile.”

“Only four years. And it’s still true. No money, and now no time.”

“Ah,” he said, flashing her a grin. “But now you have someplace to go.”

She couldn’t help smiling at his knowing nod. “Me? Where do I have to go?”

“To Billy Tallon’s house. You can help me check his leg.”

He turned to the table and began stacking dirty dishes, as if the matter were settled.

“Adam.” Jane moved to the other side of the table, hoping her face didn’t reveal how pleased she was that he wanted her along. “I don’t know anything about broken legs.”

“You can help me find the farm.”

In a minute, nearly everything on the table was either in his stack or hers. Still they stood across from each other. Jane pretended to be interested in the table linen. “I’ve never been there, either.”

“Come anyway.” The plea in his voice brought her head up. “If I fall and break my neck, you can go for help.”

She decided he was teasing. She lifted her stack of plates and silver and headed for the kitchen. “I can’t go before dawn. I have breakfast to fix.”

He fell in behind her. “After breakfast, then. I’ll help you clean up.”

She set her stack down and turned to the water she had left warming on the stove. What would it be like to ride across the prairie? With Adam? Not a good idea, she decided. Before she could frame another excuse, he spoke again.

“I promise to have you back in time to fix the evening meal.”

She shouldn’t have turned to look at him. She might have been able to laugh off the invitation. She
might have been able to mention the cleaning that needed to be done. She might have even been able to convince herself she didn’t want to go if she hadn’t seen his face and realized he wasn’t teasing.

“You need to get out of this house once in a while,” he said softly. “You need to get some fresh air.”

He was standing close to her, watching her with those caring blue eyes. She was keenly aware of her attraction to him, a pull that made her want to move closer, to touch him. The feeling was so sharp it was almost painful.

She spun away, finding the soap and shaving tiny flakes of it into the water, hoping he hadn’t noticed her confusion. She hadn’t yet found her voice when he added, “Doctor’s orders.”

She could hear the humor in his voice and wanted to sigh with relief. As long as they kept it light, she would be all right. It was when he turned serious that she was in danger.

Her grandmother’s lessons came back to her.
Never let them know your weaknesses.
Somehow, arguing that she couldn’t go seemed like an admission of fear, a fear that had nothing to do with horses and everything to do with her feelings for him.

“All right,” she said, turning to give him a smile she hoped didn’t appear forced. “Since it’s the doctor’s orders.”

The grin she got in return was almost enough to make her relax. But not quite. As they washed and
dried the dishes, she was careful that their fingers never touched. She leaned away rather than let their shoulders brush when he reached for a platter she had just washed. She made sure that she gave his gentle blue eyes no more than a quick glance.

When the kitchen and dining room were clean, Jane saw Adam to the door, then entered her bedroom. The big room was across from the parlor, with the door tucked under the stairs. She and her grandmother had shared it when they first arrived, leaving the upstairs free for paying guests. When Grams’s illness had forced her into bed most of the day, Jane had cleaned out the storage room off the kitchen so she would be nearby. Finally, the poor woman had become too weak to move back and forth, and Jane had spent her nights in a chair at her grandmother’s side.

It seemed odd to sleep alone in this room where she and Grams had shared so many conversations. She sat down on the bed and tried to imagine her grandmother beside her. “I would sure like to talk to you, Grams,” she whispered.

But what would she say if Grams were here? “I felt a strong attraction to a man today. I felt it clear down to my toes. Yes, I know men will take advantage if they can. But I don’t think he knows what I felt. I think I hid it from him.”

Jane rose to get ready for bed. Here she was, imagining herself lying to her grandmother. Of course he had been aware of the attraction. Why else
would he have talked so much about the beautiful Doreena if not to remind Jane of whom he had waiting? He didn’t return her feelings, and he wanted her to know it.
She
wasn’t beautiful.
She
wasn’t rich. He wasn’t in love with
her.

She gazed at her image in her dresser mirror, wishing for soft blond curls and a tiny turned-up nose. “I was happier thinking he might take advantage,” she muttered.

Adam couldn’t keep his mind on the book he was reading. He kept thinking back on his conversation with Jane. Why had he talked so much about Doreena? The letter he had spent all afternoon writing had seemed like a reasonable excuse to have her on his mind, but it wasn’t the truth. He had talked about Doreena in an effort to
keep
her on his mind.

For several minutes, when Jane was close to him, smelling of soap and fresh air and cinnamon from the apple pie she had baked, her cheeks flushed from their teasing, her dark eyes bright with laughter, he had forgotten about Doreena entirely. He had felt so guilty when he realized it that he had talked about her to make amends.

Only now he felt guilty for Jane’s sake. It had probably sounded as if he were throwing his rich girlfriend in her face. Jane deserved better than that.

It occurred to him that if Doreena had come with him, he wouldn’t have forgotten about her. Ofcourse, if she had come with him, he wouldn’t be
taking his meals at the boardinghouse, let alone staying to help the hostess clean up. His relationship with Jane was going to change once Doreena joined him. While what Jane and he shared was nothing more than friendship, it wasn’t going to look like that to Doreena.

A
dam sipped his coffee slowly, waiting for the others to leave the table. George and Bickford both gave him questioning looks as they left. But at least they left. The Cartland sisters seemed intent on staying as long as he did.

“Enjoy your coffee,” Jane said. “If you don’t mind, I’ll start clearing the table.”

Adam didn’t miss the furtive glance she sent in his direction. She wasn’t any more eager for the Cartlands to know their plans than he was. Last night they had joked about not wanting anyone to witness their first time on a horse. But the truth was Adam thought of his first horseback ride as a grand adventure, and he wanted Jane and not the Cartlands to share it with him. Since Jane had never ridden, either, it would be an adventure for her, too. He had a feeling that adventures were rare in her life.

“We could show you around town this morning,”
Naomi offered as Jane took a stack of dishes into the kitchen.

“Maybe later,” Adam said, coming to his feet. “But right now I think I’ll help Jane with the dishes.”

“I’m sure that isn’t necessary—I mean…” Nedra sputtered to a stop.

“Jane always—we don’t—” Naomi closed her mouth and turned to her sister.

“There are plenty of towels,” Adam said, “if you’d care to join us.”

“What we mean,” Nedra said, “is we’d be glad to help, but we really need to be picking out the fabric for the dress shop. I’m sure you and Jane understand.”

“Yes, that’s right. We need to be placing that order soon.”

Both women were headed for the stairs before Jane returned for more dishes.

“Where did the Cartlands go?”

“Off to order fabric for their dress shop.” Adam joined Jane in the task of stacking dishes.

“Ah,” she whispered. “The phantom dress shop.”

“Phantom? That sounds intriguing.”

“They’ve been here a year and have yet to so much as arrange, for a location for this shop. I think they’re the ones; shopping.”

“For husbands,” Adam said, remembering the
conversation he had overheard his first night in town.

“Can I let you in on a secret?”

“By all means,” he said, following her into the kitchen.

“I think you’re their first choice.”

Adam had figured that out, too. “Not Bickford?” he asked, feigning surprise.

“I think the loser gets Bickford.”

“I think whoever marries Bickford is going to feel that way.”

It was fun listening to Jane laugh. Hers was a soft gentle laugh, as if she were trying not to be heard.

“Poor Mr. Bickford,” she said.

“Poor Mrs. Bickford.”

Jane shot him a grin over her shoulder. “You’re taking the Cartlands’ side?”

“Well, think about it. They came out west to find husbands. There were a lot of claims made a few years back that pretty women would find husbands in a matter of days. Think how they must feel after a year here.”

“Discouraged, I expect. Until you moved in next door.”

He could tell she was holding back a giggle. He uttered an exaggerated groan as he left with a stack of clean dishes for the dining room cupboard. He returned as quickly as he could.

She didn’t turn to look at him when he came
through the door. “My bets are on Naomi,” she said.

He groaned again. “Naomi of the orange hair.”

“You should write Doreena to come rescue you.”

She said it in the same joking tone, but it was like a splash of cold water to Adam. Doreena. Once again she had been the farthest thing from his mind.

They finished the dishes quickly. Adam tried not to let his sudden change in mood show. He should thank Jane for reminding him that he wasn’t free. His conversation with her had slipped dangerously close to flirting. Which wasn’t like him at all. Growing up in a house full of boys, he had always been a little shy around girls. Why did Jane make him feel so comfortable?

Or perhaps not so comfortable. Part of what he was feeling was sexual attraction, or at least awareness. And that he could blame on Doreena’s absence. Jane was right; he should write Doreena to come rescue him, but not from the Cartland sisters.

Adam walked with Jane to the livery stable at the far end of Washington Street. He was more than a little self-conscious, after his earlier realization. He carried his medical bag between them as an excuse not to offer her his arm, though he felt derelict in not doing so. He didn’t want anyone getting: the wrong idea if they saw the two of them together. He didn’t want to cause her any embarrassment.

Jane, however, didn’t seem to expect, anything from him. She walked beside him, commenting occasionally
on this business or that as they passed. He told himself they were friends. They were neighbors. Jane was close to the patient he was going to see. He had no reason to feel guilty.

He told himself he was glad he didn’t make her uncomfortable. He was glad she didn’t feel the same attraction he had felt. His feelings were not injured by her ability to think of him as nothing more than a friend. That was what he wanted. That was the way it had to be.

By the time they got to the large wooden building at the end of the street, Adam was feeling inexplicably depressed. His mood brightened instantly at the sight of a saddled horse tied to the fence beside the barn.

Knapp met them at the door and introduced Adam to Molly, the saddled horse. Jane bartered away two places at her table for dinner, and Knapp left to saddle a horse for her. “I hope mine’s smaller,” Jane whispered to Adam.

Adam smiled down at her as he stroked the horse’s nose. “I think they can tell if you’re afraid of them.”

“And will take pity on me, I hope.”

“Come on,” Adam coaxed. “She doesn’t bite.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” Jane said, but she inched her hand forward and stroked the silky cheek.

“Don’t look now,” she whispered, “but we’re drawing a crowd.”

Adam looked up the street and saw about a dozen men walking purposefully in their direction. As they gathered in the street he could hear a little of their conversation.

“Which horse you reckon Knapp picked?”

“That’s old Molly. Where’s the fun in that?”

“Miss Sparks is with him, boys. Hi there, Miss Sparks.”

She answered and waved.

“Move back,” someone shouted. “We don’t want to spook the horses.” The small crowd took a collective step backward.

“You be careful now, Miss Sparks.”

Adam leaned toward Jane and whispered, “Now you know the real reason I invited you along.”

Jane bit her lip to keep from laughing. It was an odd little habit he had noticed before. He tried to block it and the crowd out of his mind and concentrate on getting to know Molly.

A moment later Knapp walked out of the barn leading another horse. This one was spotted and every bit as tall as Molly. “So much for my wish for a short little horse,” Jane said, and turned away.

While the horse had gotten only muttered reactions from the crowd, Jane’s advance toward it caused an uproar.

“Damn it, Knapp.”

“You gotta let Miss Sparks ride Molly.”

“You ain’t puttin’ the lady on the General.”

The General. Well, this was what he had been
expecting all along. Jane hadn’t moved very far toward the new horse and Adam had only to reach out to catch her arm. “I think Molly’s for you,” he whispered.

“Do you think there’s something wrong with the other one?” Jane asked. “You should take Molly, and I’ll stay here.”

“No, I think this is something I’ve got to go through sooner or later. You wait right here.”

“Adam.” This time she caught his arm. “Be careful.”

He flashed her his biggest grin. “I wanted adventure.”

Most of the crowd raised their voices in approval when Adam approached Knapp and the General. He could hear George Pinter’s voice above the others. “Knapp, I told you no tricks.”

“Ain’t a trick,” Knapp said mildly. “I ain’t got that big a stable.”

“What about Robin?”

“Feelin’ poorly.”

Knapp seemed just evasive enough for Adam to seriously doubt his honesty. However, he had a feeling that what was to come was a test of his acceptability. His riding skill wasn’t in question as much as his ability to be thrown without making a fuss.

Still, the notion of actually staying on the horse, however unreasonable, had taken, hold, and he was eager to throw his leg over the saddle and see what the General would do.

The General seemed placid enough as Adam stepped up to his left side. Attempting to mount from the wrong side was a common mistake of the tenderfoot, or so his reading had informed him. He was thinking how invaluable all those dime novels were as he shoved his foot into the stirrup. As his weight shifted from solid ground to the unstable support of the saddle, it occurred to him just how chock-full of misinformation those books might be.

Little-used muscles protested, but he pulled himself upward and settled into the saddle. He got his right toe in the other stirrup and started to relax.

Which was, of course, what the General was waiting for. Earth, sky, buildings and the cheering crowd blurred together in a dizzying blend. Adam’s posterior was inches above the saddle and slammed back against it in a completely unpredictable rhythm. All he could do was hold on with his hands and his knees. Even his toes tried to curl around the stirrups.

As suddenly as it had begun, it ended. The General came to a standstill, shook his head, ruffled his mane and shifted his weight lazily from one side to the other.

The crowd, which had grown since it was last clearly visible, was cheering, but Adam barely noticed. Jane was staring at him, wide-eyed and pale. He reined the General around, and at the slightest nudge from his heels, the horse walked sedately toward her.

“Are you ready to go?” Adam asked softly.

She opened her mouth and closed it again.

Knapp walked up beside Adam and gave his leg a slap. “Nice work, boy,” he said. “You just sit tight. I’ll help the little lady aboard.”

“Molly isn’t going to do the same thing, is she?” Adam asked.

Knapp shook his head as he began shortening the stirrups for Jane.

George joined them as the rest of the crowd gradually dispersed. “I said no tricks, Knapp.”

Knapp shrugged. “Couldn’t resist once the folks gathered.”

“He could have been hurt.”

“Simmer down, George,” Knapp said, casting Adam a grin over his shoulder. “Your boy made a fine showin’. The General’ll behave himself the rest of the day.”

“I think we’ll get along fine.” Adam directed his words to George, but he intended. to reassure Jane as well. “Could you hand my bag up to me?”

George found the medical bag where Adam had left it beside the fence, and brought it to
him
while Knapp helped Jane into the saddle. With the bag slung on the saddle horn, Adam turned the General into the street and waited for Jane to join him. They waved at George and Knapp, then walked their horses across the bridge over Elk Creek.

“Do you know the way?” Jane asked, her voice a little shaky.

“George gave me directions. It shouldn’t be hard to find.” Adam was dying for her to say something about his brief rodeo ride. He was actually quite pleased with himself, especially considering the outcome.

Jane was quiet.

The horses plodded down the road at a steady, though rather slow, pace. Adam would have liked to try a faster gait, but didn’t want to push his luck. Or Jane’s.

“Having fun?” he asked after a few minutes.

“Actually, no.”

“You’re not scared, are you?” He moved ahead so he could turn and study her face. He was aware of just how pretty she was now that she had caught up on her sleep. In spite of her expression, he couldn’t help but smile.

“Dismayed is more like it,” she said, glaring at him.

“You don’t have to worry. Molly isn’t going to try to throw you.”

“It’s not that,” she said, her big brown eyes softening. “I keep thinking of what might have happened.”

He couldn’t stop the smile. “You’re still worried about me?”

“Don’t look so pleased.” There was a little of her old sass back in her voice. “How did you manage to stay on, anyway?”

“Seriously?” He waited for her nod. “If I could
have thought of a safe way to get off, I would have.” He was very pleased to hear her laugh.

Jane was thoroughly enjoying the ride when they pulled up at the Tallon farm. Billy was sitting in a chair under a tree, his splinted leg resting on a pillowed sawhorse. Jane wanted to fling herself off the horse and run to greet the little boy, but her legs didn’t want to cooperate.

Adam swung down, quite gracefully for a firsttimer, she thought, and came to her rescue. She had to let him drag her out of the saddle, and then she had to lean on him because her legs wouldn’t hold her. “I guess I’m not cut out for this,” she said.

“Give yourself a minute,” he answered.

She felt his breath stir her hair. He was way too close and it did strange things to her nerves and muscles. She drew herself away even though she was half-afraid she’d fall flat on her face when she slipped free of his arms. She forced herself forward on trembling legs and made it to Billy’s side. There she had the perfect excuse to crumble to the ground.

Adam, of course, was right behind her. He had turned the horses over to one of Billy’s older brothers and greeted Mrs. Tallon on his way to the tree.

“Whatcha need that for?” Billy asked, eyeing the medical bag.

“I don’t need it, I hope,” Adam said. “What are you doing?” He indicated the chunk of wood and
pocketknife in Billy’s hands. The boy’s lap was covered with wood shavings.

“I’m learnin’ myself how to whittle,” Billy said.

Adam smiled. “Just don’t cut yourself.”

The boy groaned in disgust. “That’s what Mama said.”

Adam examined the boy’s leg and asked him several questions. He seemed satisfied with the answers, and Jane and Billy beamed at each other.

Mrs. Tallon brought them glasses of cold water from the well, and in a few minutes it was time to ride back to town. Adam offered Jane a hand to help her rise. There was no polite way to refuse it. He kept one hand gently on her back as he walked her to the horses. It was such a casual gesture Jane wondered if he was even aware of it. She certainly was.