Cora's Deception (9781476398280) (31 page)

Was he telling the truth or did he simply
want to take her from Aaron? A breeze from the open door brushed
her hair from her face, cooling her. Maybe he had the right idea.
At least the fresh air would feel good. The fiddle rang out and the
banjo followed. A Jews harp joined in. The lively music struck a
chord within Cora and she forgot about George and focused on
keeping up with the dance. George was every bit the gentleman as he
kept step to the lively calls. His smile was friendly, his touch
light, reminding Cora of the boy she’d once known.

The last call rang out, and before Cora
realized what he was doing, George pulled her through the open
doorway into the dark night. He held her wrist and walked with
rapid steps away from the barn.

“George, what are you doing?” Cora tried to
pull her hand from his, but he only tightened his grip. She
stumbled in the dark.

“Don’t worry, Your beau was across the room
when we left. He doesn’t even know we’re gone.” George pulled her
toward a small copse of trees.

“If I scream, someone will come.”

He laughed. “Go ahead. There’s so much noise
coming from that barn, no one will hear you.”

The loud music, stomping of feet, clapping
hands, laughter, and calls poured from the open door and rushed
into her awareness. George was right. No one would hear her. Fear
washed through her heart.

In a futile attempt for freedom, she
struggled to get away from him, but her wrist hurt, and he pulled
her against him, holding her close in the shelter and darkness of
the trees. Her heart beat out of control. “George, please don’t do
this.”

“You’re mine, Cora.”

She shook her head, pushing against his
chest with her free hand. “No, I’m not.”

He grabbed that hand, too, holding her
close. “Since we were children, you’ve belonged to me, and you
always will.”

Cora struggled, but he slipped his arms
around her, pinning her in place against him. “I’ll set up practice
in St. Louis, and we can be married.”

“No, George.” Cora gave up her struggle, and
he relaxed his hold. Her voice held her tears and her love for
Aaron. “I love Aaron. I’m marrying him.”

George laughed. “Cordella Jackson married to
a poor dirt farmer who’s probably never set foot inside a real town
in his life. Now can’t we just see that?”

“You’ll see it if you stay around here long
enough because that’s what’s going to happen.” Anger replaced
Cora’s fear. “Can’t you understand me? I love Aaron. I love him
more than I ever loved you or anyone.”

George jerked as if she’d slapped him. Dim
moonlight touched his reddened face as his eyes became slits. “Oh,
really? Ha!”

He reached into his shirt pocket while he
kept an iron grip around her waist. The paper he pulled out glowed
white in the dark night. His face twisted in a sneer. “Do you know
what this is?”

“A letter?”

“I knew you were smart. But it isn’t just
any letter.” His expression relaxed, yet the smile now on his lips
caused unease to skitter along her nerves. “This is a love letter
written by a desperate hand. You wrote this letter, Cora. To me. In
it, you tell of your love for me in no uncertain terms. Oh, yes, my
darling. I believe you love me, not your farmer friend.”

Waves of remorse flooded Cora’s soul. How
could she have been so ignorant as to write that letter? She’d
wanted so much to leave this wonderful land that she’d lowered
herself to begging through flowery words of misplaced love. Her
letter had come back to mock her foolishness.

She shook her head. “No, everything’s
changed. I love Aaron. He loves me.”

“How long do you think Stark’s love will
last once he reads this? Why don’t we see? Why don’t I let him see
for himself how fickle your love is?”

Aaron had struggled to believe her love for
him. If George told him about this letter, it would destroy
everything they both held dear. She grabbed for it, but George
lifted it just out of her reach.

“Aha! So you don’t want him to know.”

“It would be a lie. I don’t mean what I said
in that letter anymore. Maybe I never did.” She eyed the gleaming
white paper, wishing she could tear it to shreds. “You aren’t that
cruel, George.”

“Of course I’m not.” His voice turned
soothing. “Tell the country bumpkin the truth, and I’ll burn the
letter. Fight me, and I’ll show your lover how you really feel.
I’ll let him read it for himself. He can’t deny what’s written in
black and white, now can he?”

Of course George left her
no room to win. Then the words
read it for
himself
blazoned across her mind. She had
nothing to fear. Aaron couldn’t read the letter, and his pride
would keep him from letting George know he couldn’t.

“Go ahead. I don’t care. Aaron loves me too
much to let something like this come between us. Show him the
letter, because I’ll never give you what you want. I’ll never do
anything to hurt Aaron.”

George’s eyes blazed in the moonlight. In
one swift movement, he crushed her against him. His mouth covered
hers before she had time to escape. This was no kiss of love but of
power. She tried to get away but was helpless against his superior
strength. He released her abruptly, and she staggered to regain her
footing.

She looked into his sneering face and rubbed
the wrist he’d held so tight. He spoke in a cold voice. “Don’t
worry. I’ll let Stark read this, and then, mark my words, you will
be mine.”

He turned and walked away, leaving her alone
in the dark.

A deep trembling took possession of Cora for
several moments until she realized she might still find Aaron
before George did. It was true Aaron couldn’t read the letter, but
what George might say to him could do as much damage.

She smoothed her hair and straightened her
dress as she ran toward the barn, slowing to a walk when she
reached the back door. Music and voices raised in laughter and
conversation mingled without meaning in her mind as she elbowed her
way into the crowded room and began a frantic search to stop Aaron
from being hurt by her stupidity.

Chapter 24

W
here was Cora? Aaron searched every corner of the barn and
couldn’t find her or Merrill either. Would she have gone outside
with that dandy? He looked out back and didn’t see anyone. Maybe
they were in front. He elbowed his way through the barn and out the
front doors.

Groups of people visited in the pleasant
evening air, but Cora didn’t appear to be with any of them. He
headed around the side of the barn where the dark form of a man
walked toward him, his voice preceding him. “Well, if it isn’t
Farmer Stark.”

No mistakin’ the arrogant voice of George
Merrill. A Christian, even a new one, was supposed to love
everyone, but Aaron had a hard time finding love in his heart for
this poor excuse of a man. “Where’s Cora?”

“Oh, I imagine about now she’s fixing her
hair. You know how girls are.” George made no sense.

Aaron clenched his fists. “I asked you where
she’s at.”

George tightened his cravat bow under his
chin. “I left her out back. In that little grove of trees—”

Aaron realized he’d swung when his fist
cracked against George’s face. George sprawled on the ground. Aaron
grabbed the fancy high collar and bow tie under George’s chin and
pulled him up for another go round.

George held one hand to his nose and waved
the other in front of his face. “Don’t hit me again. Wait. I have
something to show you.”

Aaron pulled his fist back. He wanted
nothing more than to plow it into the dandy’s face. But he stopped
and shoved George back, watching him stagger and fall to the ground
again.

George dug inside his pocket, pulling out a
handkerchief for his bleeding nose. He pulled a folded piece of
paper from another pocket and held it toward Aaron. “Here. Take
this.”

George had nothing Aaron cared to see. He
shoved his hand aside and hauled the wimp to his feet a second
time. “You tell me straight out if you hurt Cora.”

“She’s fine.” George pushed against the hand
holding him. “I wouldn’t hurt Cora, you ignorant bumpkin. I’m in
love with her. I’m taking her home with me. Why else would I come
to this place?”

Aaron’s hand fell away, drained of power.
George’s fist couldn’t have hit him as hard as his words had.

George extended the paper again. “Cora and I
had quite a talk about things. We decided the easiest way to break
our news would be to let you read this.”

“I don’t believe you.” Aaron’s eyebrows drew
together. He crossed his arms to keep from tearing the other fellow
limb from limb. Did Cora want George after all? Is that why she’d
danced with him? He braced his feet and glared.

“I didn’t think you’d take my word for it.
That’s why I insist you read the letter Cora wrote me. In it you’ll
find her words of love for me, not you. Sorry, old boy, but what
would you expect?”

The razor-sharp words of Cora’s old friend
severed Aaron’s heart in two. He couldn’t speak, but George could
and did.

“Cora begged me to rescue her from this
place. As soon as I got her letter, I came.” George pushed the
letter into Aaron’s hand.

His mind in a daze, Aaron unfolded the
paper. The full moon overhead supplied barely enough light to see
the ink. He stared blankly at it.

George shifted. “Well, aren’t you going to
read it?”

Aaron looked up without a word.

George laughed. “I don’t believe this. How
did Cora get mixed up with the likes of you? You can’t read, can
you?”

Aaron flinched as George’s laughter taunted
him.

“Cora was always at the top of her class.
She won every spelling bee in St. Louis. She started reading when
she was only five. She’s the only female I’ve ever known who was my
intellectual equal. We belong together and have planned to marry
since we were children. We’d have already been married if her
father hadn’t moved her here.” George flung his hand out to the
side. “Look at this place. Look what it almost cost Cora.
Thankfully, I arrived in time to save her.”

Numbness crept over Aaron. He had no
defense. George was right. Cora didn’t belong with him. She was
better than this place. She was too good for him. He’d known it
from the start. She deserved the very best.

George snatched the letter from Aaron’s
hand. “Here, let me read it to you.”

At last Aaron found his voice. “No! I can’t
read, but I ain’t stupid. You can give her all the things I can’t.
I ain’t gonna stand in your way ’cause I love Cora too much for
that.” He turned to walk away, but stopped and pinned George with a
glare. “You probably don’t know it, but you ain’t good enough for
her neither.”

Aaron went on through the darkness around
the barn to the back door. He’d look for Ivy or Ralph and tell them
he was heading home.

He stepped into the brightly lit barn,
letting his gaze slide over the crowd. Cora stood at the front
door. With George. Pain sliced anew through Aaron’s heart. He moved
toward the musicians where Ivy stood.

Ivy caught his hand. “Aaron, Mr. Reid wants
a word with you.”

“I’m goin’ home, Ivy. Can you ride back with
the Hansons?” He tried to free his hand.

“Yes, but first, Mr. Reid wants to talk to
you.” Ivy tugged on him.

Mr. Reid looked up from resining his violin
bow.

“You wanna see me?” Aaron glanced toward the
front door. Cora stood facing George. They seemed to be deep in
conversation. No doubt making plans for their future.

“Yes.” Mr. Reid cleared his throat. “I know
it’s proper to speak to the father, but in Ivy’s case. . .well, I
thought I should ask you.”

“Ask me what?” Aaron pulled his attention
from Cora.

“I’ve asked Ivy to be my wife. She’s
consented if you will give us your blessing.”

Aaron’s eyebrows shot up then lowered in a
scowl. He glared at Mr. Reid. “You what?”

“Ivy has agreed to become my wife.” The
older man held his hand out to Ivy.

She took it, stepped close beside Mr. Reid,
and smiled at her brother. “I said yes, Aaron. We want your
blessin’.”

Aaron searched his sister’s face. She
watched him, a hesitant smile tugging her lips. He shook his head.
How much more could a man take? “You sure about this, Ivy?”

She nodded, her bright blue eyes wide and
shining.” Yes, for sure I am.”

“All right, if it’s what you want.” He
offered his hand to Mr. Reid. As they shook, he nodded. “You have
my blessin’. Always be good to her. That’s all I’m askin’.”

“I promise.” Bill Reid grinned.

“Thank you, Aaron.” Ivy leapt into Aaron’s
arms for a hug and a quick kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, sis.” Aaron held her close
for a moment before he slipped out the back way. It was a long,
lonely walk home through the moonlit night, and he spent most of it
making plans.

~*~

Cora stopped at the front door and looked
back the way she’d come. Where was Aaron? She couldn’t find him.
Her eyes blurred with unshed tears.

“Looking for me?”

She froze at the sound of George’s voice
then turned to glare at him. “No, I was not.”

“Now, don’t tell me you’re looking for that
ignorant bumpkin.” He shook his head.

Cora turned away. “Aaron is anything but
ignorant. He’s very intelligent. He’s talented and he’s—”

“Gone.”

“What?” She swung back.

“I merely suggested he appears to be
gone.”

Cora stared at the smirk on George’s face.
So he had told Aaron about the letter. Probably read it to him.
Never had she seen a more hateful, self-satisfied, arrogant bag of
wind in her life.

“George, I don’t ever want to see you
again.” Cora spoke slowly and distinctly then turned and walked
away.