Cassidy (Big Sky Dreams 1) (21 page)

174

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Meg had gotten a bit of a cold and ended up running a fever that put her in bed. Jeb had heard the rumors about Cassidy and talked with Patience but not said anything to Meg until Friday night when she'd been feeling better. Meg wasted no time. Arriving just five minutes after Chandler left, she went to her friend and put her arms around her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. I just heard. I'm sorry, Cass. I'm so sorry."

Cassidy didn't try to speak. She was too emotional for that. She could hold together with nearly everyone, but not with Meg. Meg's kindness and tenderness were too much, and Cassidy had held her tears for a long time.

"It's okay," Meg said, wanting her to cry it all out, her own tears coming. She held her friend, and prayed, and once again missed Brad so much it hurt.

"Here," Meg said at last. "Sit down."

Cassidy let herself be led to a chair, and Meg pulled the other one close.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Meg asked.

"I don't think I can," Cassidy said, tears closing her throat as she thought about Chandler's visit again.

Meg didn't press her but sat with her as long as she dared. She knew Savanna would be looking for milk long before she got back, but she couldn't bring herself to leave Cassidy alone.

Not until Cassidy assured her that she would be all right-with plans to close the shop early and go to her apartment-did Meg agree to leave.

When Meg got back to the house, she was given the good news from Jeb that Edson was gone. He'd been seen boarding the train with another man. She would tell Cassidy that. She would not, however, tell Cassidy she'd received a telegraph. Brad had been in touch.He

175and Trace would be home on Monday night. Her good news in the light of Cassidy's heartache seemed almost cruel.

It did not escape the notice of several people that Cassidy was not in church on Sunday morning, but when all was said and done, only Rylan and Jeanette went to check on her. Jeanette was the first up the stairs, Rylan behind her.

Cassidy answered the door when she heard their knock, not overly surprised to see them. She invited them into the living room and asked if anyone wanted coffee.

"No," Jeanette said. "We just want to know how you are." "I'm all right."

"Are you ill?" Rylan asked, taking in her pale features and thin cheeks.

"No, just tired."

"Is that why you didn't come this morning to church?" Jeanette pressed.

"No, that's not it." Cassidy forced herself to be honest. "I just felt it was best to stay away."

"Best for whom?" Rylan asked.

"For everyone," Cassidy explained. "I know that not everyone trusts me now. Some believe the rumors my brother started, and I thought I should stay away. At least today."

"I don't think that's true," Jeanette began, but stopped when she saw Cassidy's face.

"Did someone say something, Cassie?" Rylan asked.

Cassidy nodded, her face growing a little paler. Jeanette was stunned into silence, and Rylan's mind was working on how much he should know. He realized that Cassidy didn't want to speak of it, and he was not going to press her.

"Maybe at some point you'll want to tell me about it," Rylan said. He knew it was the right thing when Cassidy looked at him with relief.

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"How about some dinner, Cassie?" Jeanette asked, her heart turning over Cassidy's pain. "Why don't you and Rylan both come to my house?"

It was clear that Cassidy was going to refuse, but Rylan spoke up.

"I think that sounds like a good idea, Cassie. You don't have to stay long, but we could give you a rundown of the sermon if you like."

"I would enjoy that," Cassidy agreed. It was tempting to stay behind closed doors, but she knew that one of Becky's meals would be worth the effort of getting out. She needed the fellowship too. It had been hard to stay home, but she still thought it had been for the best. The time at Jeanette's was probably just what she needed.

"So what will you do?" Jeanette was asking by the end of the meal. They had told her all about the sermon, even the comments shared by others, and which songs they'd sung. In that time Cassidy's demeanor had changed, and Jeanette knew this question would be welcome.

"It's funny, but it took coming here to realize what I should do," Cassidy admitted. "I've watched Becky working today, and Heather, and realized there's more to life than sewing. I mean, it's what I know how to do, but there are other jobs to be had."

"How soon will you look for other work?" Rylan asked.

"Not right away. Maybe folks will understand that I'm not like my brother, and business will pick back up. I've got about two months of savings I can live on, but after that, I'll have to look for something."

"Can you sell your building?" Jeanette asked, knowing Cassidy owned it.

"If it comes to that, I can certainly try," Cassidy said, but didn't elaborate. Her building was always meant to be her house fund. When that special man came along and wanted to marry her, she was going to be able to sell her building so they could buy a home together.

177"It's good to have a plan," Rylan said, wondering even now if he should press her about the person or people from the church family who had believed her brother's lies.

"I think I'll head home," Cassidy said before Rylan could voice his question. "Thank you so much, Jeanette."

"You're welcome."

"How has it been for you?" Rylan suddenly asked Jeanette, realizing she was out of a job at the moment.

"Not going to work with Cassie?" Jeanette checked. "It's hard. I've been keeping busy around the house, but I miss her and seeing the townsfolk. It's an amazing opportunity to pray and do good works."

Cassidy realized this was part of the mourning she was feeling. She missed Jeanette, she missed Trace, and she missed the life that was hers such a short time ago.

Rylan walked Cassidy home, keeping the conversation between them light, but Cassidy was doing some heavy thinking. She realized she'd settled in in a way that had diminished God's presence in her life.

You're the only sure thing,
Cassidy prayed when she got home.
I had forgotten that. I let the business, my friends, and this town make me feel settled and sure. Thank You, Lord, for sending Edson. I needed this reminder.

To repent and remember what she'd been missing was good for Cassidy and gave her new purpose. She went to bed and rose at her normal time. She might not have any customers, but she still had a shop to open, and she was going to do just that.

"Jeb is going to take me home as soon as I'm ready," Meg told Cassidy on Monday morning. "But I didn't want to go without checking with you."

178 "Thanks, Meg," Cassidy said, giving her friend a hug. "I'm so glad the men will be home tonight."

"You'll come Wednesday?" Meg checked.

"I'll do better than that," Cassidy said with a smile. "If things are

still this slow, I'll close for the day and be out after breakfast."

Her cheerful attitude, coupled with Meg's great need to see her

husband, was too much for her. Meg cried and Cassidy joined her. "I'm sorry, Cassie. I'm sorry you have to go through this."

"It's okay," Cassidy ended up comforting her friend. "I'm learning

a lot. I'm sad and I'm hurting, but I'm learning a lot."

"Don't mind me," Meg said, taking a swipe at her eyes. "I just miss Brad, and I hurt for you. It's a double blow."

"How many times have I sobbed all over you?" Cassidy teased gently. "I think you're allowed a turn."

"But I'm not the one losing my business over a bunch of lies!" Meg said, knowing she could be outraged very easily.

Cassidy shrugged. "Edson said he would do it, and he did."

"Well, there are some people who are fighting for you," Meg said. "If Jessie hears things, she sets people straight, and so does Jeb when he's at the store and around town."

"Thanks for telling me," Cassidy offered sincerely, but she wasn't sure it would do any good. Even folks who had ordered things had not come back to pick them up. And since she was paid after the fact, she was stuck with some clothing she could probably do nothing with.

"I'd better go," Meg said.

"Thanks for stopping, and kiss that baby for me."

The women hugged again, and Cassidy saw Meg out the door. She smiled as she waved her off but knew that Wednesday was going to be slow in coming.

179

CASSIDY HAD GOTTEN OUT HER QUILTS,even the one she was working

on upstairs. She chose the one she wanted to work on depending on the colors she was enjoying just then. She displayed them in the shop window and also inside, draped over an old steamer trunk she'd placed in a corner.

She had just settled in to work on the one she was putting together with rags; completely mismatched, when the door opened. Cassidy looked up to find Halston entering.

"Good morning," Cassidy said quietly.

"Good morning, Miss Norton. I'm here with a message." "All right."

"Mr. Brickel would like to order another pair of pants, but he'd like to see a sample of your fabrics."

"That's no problem. I can cut those for you right now," Cassidy said, heading toward her fabric with a pair of scissors.

"He wants you to bring them."

The weight that landed on Cassidy's shoulders with these words made her stop and close her eyes. She needed this order. She needed any order, but she was not going to even discuss marriage with this man and knew that this was the only reason he wanted to see fabric.

180Gathering herself, Cassidy turned to Halston and spoke. "I can't do that," she said. "Tell Mr. Brickel I'm sorry, but the answer is no."

Her face bothered Halston. He didn't speak but nodded in respect and slipped back out the door. He didn't hurry, but his mind was busy. Approaching the house and slipping in the kitchen in his usual fashion, Halston was not surprised to find his employer waiting.

"What did she say?"

"She said no, she will not come here."

Frustration covered the older man's features, but he was already coming up with a new scheme. "Go back and tell her-" he began, but for the first time Halston cut him off.

"What did you say?" The rich man had stopped to stare. "I said no."

"No to what?" Hiram said, his face starting to look like a thundercloud.

"I won't go back and ask Miss Norton again. She's given you her answer, and she's very upset about other things right now."

"Did you tell her that I don't care who her brother is?" Hiram demanded. "Did you tell her I'll marry her no matter what?"

"I told her you wanted her to bring pants fabric, just as you requested. She's pale and thin, and I'm done tormenting the girl with your requests for marriage."

Hiram Brickel exploded in anger over this, but Halston ignored him. He turned his back on the man and began working on dinner. He listened for the word that he was fired, but it did not come. Halston did, however, eventually hear the front door open and slam. He turned from the bread he'd been Slicing, stunned with the realization that his employer had actually left the house.

"I thought you needed business," Hiram said the minute he stepped inside Cassidy's shop.

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"AO I thought you were old enough to know what the word no meant," Cassidy said, a little bit ready for a fight. She had been discouraged after Halston left but soon got over that.

Hiram stared at her, his eyes narrowing a bit, and then began to walk around the shop. Cassidy watched him, not rising or moving the quilt from her lap, and not speaking either.

"This is nice," he said. "Feminine, but nice."

"Thank you."

"Do you think you'll have a business to sit in a month from now?"

"I would guess not, but I don't know."

Hiram wanted to repeat his offer, but Halston was right, she was thinner.

"Do you have enough to live on?" he surprised her by asking. "Yes, thank you."

"I could look at that fabric while I'm here."

Cassidy stared at him, gauging what her answer should be and deciding she had nothing to lose. "Do you need pants, or are you looking for ways to keep asking a question I've already answered?"

"I do need the pants, but I can also see that you need a husband. It's perfectly clear that it should be me."

Hiram had a glimpse of what Halston had seen. Cassidy's eyes looked weary, almost desperate, as though she couldn't take any more. He didn't have the heart to press her.

"I'll look at that fabric now," Hiram said before Cassidy could frame a reply, "and leave you to get the pants to me when they're done."

Cassidy nodded and went to get the bolts of material. She had four that would be excellent for pants, and Hiram selected three of them.

"If things remain slow," Cassidy said in her honest way, "there's no reason I can't have these done for you by the end of the week." "Do you mind delivering them?"