Echoes of the Heart (17 page)

Forcing back
tears, she continued to her destination attempting to erase the scene she had
just witnessed out of her mind.
 
He meant
nothing to her anyway, just a handsome face and a flirtation on her part.
 
Well, maybe a bit more.

Concentrating on
the conversation around her proved futile.
 
She could not even remember what her friends had just said.
 
They commented on her obvious distraction.
 
She finally pleaded a headache and bade them
farewell.

***

Billy Winters, son
of the hotel owners, entered while she re-stocked shelves.
 
A young man in his twenties, he had brown
hair curling around his collar, hazel eyes and a tall lean frame.
 
Previous flirtations clued Raeden of his
interest and she thought him rather handsome and a gentleman, quite the
opposite of the lustful beast pawing her whenever he felt the need.

“Hi, Rae.”
 
Hat in hand he stepped closer.

“How are you,
William?
 
I have noticed the additions
are making progress.”

“Yes, they’re
coming along.
 
Dad is very pleased.
 
I thought I would come by and see if you
would like to go out for a walk or maybe get some dessert.
 
It’s a nice afternoon.”
 
He stood straight looking directly into her
eyes.

Raeden did like
the directness of the men living in the Dakotas.
 
They appeared so confident, masculine.
 
Supposing it must be the rugged territory,
she approved of their character.

“I would like
that, William.”
 
The distraction from
despising Cash and constantly working would lift her spirits.
 
“I’ll get my wrap and be right with you.”

Returning with her
shawl, she stepped lithely beside him to slip an arm through his while they
walked.
 
Marshmallow clouds hung along
the skyline.
 
The air smelled clean and
fresh on the slight breeze rustling leaves on the ground.

Billy glanced her
way.
 
“Looks like rain.
 
It won’t be long before winter sets in.”

 
          
Being
curious, she had to ask.
  
“Everyone
keeps talking about the tough winters.
 
Is it really that bad?”

           
“Yeah,
they are long and harsh.
 
Pretty rough on
the cattle.
 
Sometimes the ranchers have
big losses.”

           
They
talked of mundane events and a tale about a resident at the hotel made her
laugh.
 
She felt better already.
 
This is
just what I needed
.
 

Cash stepped from
an alley and turned to face them.
 
He
looked like an outlaw with fierce dark features, low-slung gun belt and casual
stride.
 
His face turned hard, muscles
tense when he neared them.
 
He abruptly
halted and stared into her eyes as if he despised her.
 
When they passed, she flashed him a smile and
Billy ignored him as they continued their stroll.
 
It pleased her Billy did not seem the least
bit intimidated by Cash.

           
The
little café at the hotel was much less formal than the dining area and seated
only twelve people at small tables covered with checkered table clothes
surrounded by wicker chairs.
 
Through the
dancing flames in the double fireplace, one could see a part of the dining room
on the other side.

Small hurricane
lamps flickered on each table and the street as seen through clear square
windows adorned with lace café curtains showed inhabitants passing, bundled in
warm winter wear.

During coffee and
pie, they discussed various topics, his sense of humor engaging while he
rattled off anecdotes about the hotel guests.
 
Billy listened with interest when she told him her plans and he remained
a perfect gentleman, unlike another she could name.

           
Feeling
cheerful when she arrived, Diane and Mike left to go home and she continued
sewing until time to leave for the day.
 
On her way to lock up, she spotted Jesse Smith a local youth bolting
through the front door with an armload of clothing.
 
Once out onto the sidewalk, he turned left
toward the train station.
 
One hand
raising her skirt exposing her ankles she dashed out to the planked walkway
facing the direction he ran.
 
What on
earth!

           
Irritation
prickled her senses as she raised her fist in the air waving.
 
“Come back here you little thief.”
 
The volume of her voice elevated slightly.
 
“You will be sorry for this, Jesse.”
 
She could hardly believe what had
happened.
 
She hadn’t taken the usually
guarded and sullen Jesse for a thief.

           
Vibrations
from boots striking wood pulsed through her feet when Cash sped past after
Jesse and caught him soon after, loot sailing into the air.
 
The conversation distant, she could only
observe, aware of Cash’s intolerance regarding his duty to protect those under
his care.
 
He is going to throw him in jail.
 
Knowing the lad was a victim of a drunken father’s abuse, compassion
swelled in her chest thinking his parent would probably thrash him in a drunken
rage.

Jesse retrieved
the goods from the ground and came back to the scene of the crime, head
downcast with Cash beside him.
 
Cash
spoke first.
 
“Miss Newell, shall we step
inside?”
 
An order not a question.
 
She stepped over the threshold, Cash and
Jesse on her heels.

His face held no
emotion while he stared at the youth.
 
“Jesse has something to say.”

Red-rimmed eyes
lifted, arms stretched out to hand her the stolen clothing.

His voice cracked when he
spoke.
 
“I’m sorry, Miss Newell.
 
It will never happen again.”
 
The boy’s shoulders sagged, a breath expelled
from his lungs when Cash placed an arm around his shoulder to lead him
outside.
 
Cash’s face turned toward her,
the corner of his mouth flicked upward then down when he gave her a wink.

Still within
earshot, she heard Cash lecture Jesse.
 
“Now son, you go over to the jail and tell John I sent you to sweep up
and shovel the stalls.
 
I will pay you
when you’re finished.”
 
His voice
remained stern.
 
“Tomorrow after school,
you go check with Watts, he is seeking help at the
livery and I’ll mention you’re coming.”
 
With a hand on Jesse’s shoulder, a hint of softness edged his tone.
 
“We don’t need to mention this to your
father.”

Half-sobbing,
Jesse spoke.
 
“Okay, Marshal, whatever
you say.”

Mouth agape Raeden
stood unable to move.
 
How can someone so
callous behave in such a lenient manner?
 
Perplexed, she shook her head and replaced the items back on the tables
before locking the doors.

Riding home, the
crisp autumn air stung her cheeks and her thoughts still on Cash when she
arrived.
 
Perhaps she had misjudged him
after all, at least in some ways, though his actions toward her still stuck in
her craw.

           
After
a light meal, she bathed and climbed into bed, vowing to accept more men’s
offers to seek her attention and occupy her spare time with thoughts other than
Cash.
 
Looking forward to her plans, she
settled under her warm blankets and fell into a sound sleep.

Twenty

eH

He’s Twenty

           
Dressed
for riding, Raeden joined Diane and Mike for breakfast, eating ham, eggs, and
toast spread with marmalade.
 
Rich black
coffee followed the meal.

           
Diane
placed a hand gently over her husband’s, a cat-like smile forming on her
face.
 
“Did you enjoy your time with
Billy yesterday?”

           
She
placed her cup back in the saucer.
 
“Very
much.
 
He seems like a nice man.
 
Jane and Bill must be very proud.”

           
“He
is their only child and they dote on him constantly.
 
He doesn’t care for their interference, so he
has his own place and works the ranches when they need extra men.”

           
Raeden
refilled her cup.
 
“I thought he worked
at the hotel.
 
I’ve seen him there.”

           
Diane
reached for the cream, poured it into her cup, followed by a refill for her and
Mike.
 
She sounded amused.
 
“He has been there helping with the
remodeling.
 
He’s a good carpenter, I
hear.
 
They keep hoping he will take a
wife soon and settle down.
 
I suppose
it’s the way with most parents.
 
However,
as you may have noticed with so few eligible young ladies, the competition
makes it difficult.”

           
Raeden’s
mind fell on designing.
 
It’s an
interesting thought.
 
Perhaps I will be
making a wedding gown or two when those ladies choose from their numerous
suitors.

           
Deep
in thought, she pushed her chair from the table and raced to the barn, seeing
Nick spreading fresh straw in the stalls.
 
“Your horse is saddled and waiting.
 
Looks like rain may be headed our way.”

           
Happy
for the day off, she mounted the stallion.
 
“Thank you, Nick.
 
You are always
around just when I need you.”
 
He smiled
shyly as she turned and rode away bundled in warm clothing to keep out the
chill.

           
Not
warmed by the sun hidden behind cloud cover, the air remained cold.
 
This infinite country, a stark contrast from
the city she had arrived from, had a way of boring deep into one’s soul.
 
It felt good to ride alone out in the open
country with cool air stinging her face and a sense of real freedom from the
restraints of society and other’s expectations of how she should conform.

           
She
returned cold from the ride and sunk into a hot tub before curling cross-legged
on her bed with a sandwich, draped in a warm dressing gown.
 
She began sketching ideas for wedding dresses
she thought might interest the eligible young women and carefully placed them
in a folder to add to her burgeoning portfolio.

Twenty-one

           
When
Raeden returned the store the next morning, she glanced at the windows and the
new lace curtains she had constructed, thinking them a definite improvement
from the bare panes.
 
Their loose weave
permitted passersby’s to see inside and still allotted plenty of light.

           
Glancing
in the mirror, face flushed from the ride, she smoothed the folds in her
dress.
 
She added a ribbon around her
cascading curls then satisfied with her appearance, she walked to the small
pot-bellied stove.
 
She lit a fire and
made coffee.

           
Warmed
by the stove, the chill began to dwindle.
 
She began on the garment of heavy maroon fabric lined with dark green
taffeta she needed to complete this day.
 
She had to admit it looked fit for a queen.
 
She ran her hands over the luxurious cloth
and the nacreous abalone shell buttons adorning the bodice and from elbow to
wrist along the skintight sleeves

The signal above
the door chimed.
 
She rose to greet the
son and daughter of the banker, Wayne and Caroline Smith.
 
Caroline’s face flushed with color and her
mouth curled into a smile as she bounced with excitement, almost breathless,
when she walked toward Raeden.
 
“Oh, Rae,
mother’s dress is so beautiful.
 
Would it
be possible for you to make one for me?
 
I want to look my best for the ball.”

Raeden pursed her
lips thinking.
 
“I still have two to
complete.
 
I don’t know if I will have
the time.”
 
Caroline’s face scrunched
into a frown and her shoulders slumping in disappointment made Raeden
reconsider.
 
“I will see what I can do,
but I can’t promise.”
 
One of the group
of young women Raeden had tea with, she liked Caroline who was sweet and
forthright not the least bit pretentious. She had a flawless complexion with
big brown eyes and long lashes set off by beautiful auburn hair.
 
Raeden already had a design in mind to
emphasize her slim figure.