Echoes of the Heart (18 page)

Also aware of
Caroline’s intent toward John, Cash’s deputy, she assumed Caroline wanted to
impress him with a stylish new gown.

Caroline grabbed
Raeden’s hands and smiled.
 
“That would
be wonderful.”

“Why don’t you
come in?
 
I will obtain your measurements
and we can choose some fabric.”

Looking at Wayne,
Raeden said, “Maybe you can come by later to take her home.”

“Don’t bother, Wayne.
 
I can walk to the bank, Daddy will drive me.”

Wayne
didn’t leave but instead approached Raeden.
 
Medium height and trim, his suit tailored perfectly he looked
distinguished with his neatly trimmed sideburns and solid gold watch fob dangling
from his vest.
 
“I noticed your horse in
back.
 
Would you like to ride with me
later on in the day?”

Tossing aside her
first impulse to decline, instead she answered.
 
“I would like that, Wayne.
 
What time?”
 
Always friendly and outgoing she would enjoy getting to know him on a
more intimate basis.

“How would
two o’clock
be for you?
 
I am sure Dad will be back by then.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“I’ll see you
then.”
 
He walked away with a spring in
his step.

She turned her
attention once again to Cynthia.
 
“Let’s
get you measured.”

***

Wayne
arrived sharply at two dressed in jeans, flannel shirt, and leather jacket, his
appearance more rugged than before.
 
She
again thought the men in the west different—self-assured and bold, and
particularly manly, not as frivolous perhaps, as the men in St.
Louis.

           
They
left town side-by-side on their mounts talking, and Raeden noticed Cash along
the wood walk heading toward the saloon.
 
When they passed, she could see the muscles in his jaws flex and menace
in his stare.

She pretended not
to notice.
 
She would show the snake she
did not want his advances.
 
Did he think
her a whore like the badly dressed trollop in the saloon, his lips latched to her
chest?

           
A
mile or so from town, ominous gray clouds rolled in suddenly from the north and
darkened the sky.
 
“We’d better turn
back, Rae.
  
It’s going to rain.”

Within minutes of
their retreat, a bolt of lightning flashed and rain burst from the heavens
drenching the dry earth.
 
On the first
assault, dust rose from each pelting droplet, eventually running in rivulets
across the parched terrain.

           
Soaking
up moisture, the thirsty loam soon turned to muck.
 
With each step the horse’s feet sunk to the
fetlocks impeding their progress, while slivers of rain blowing in crosswise
stung her face, penetrating through clothing down to bare skin.

           
Wayne
removed his coat, riding up close beside Raeden.
 
“Here, Rae, let me put this on you.”
 
He draped the jacket over her shoulders
pulling it snuggly around her neck.
 
The
odor of wet leather assailed her nostrils along with the warm scent of Wayne.

           
“Thank
you, Wayne.”
 
Through his thick water-matted lashes, she
could see the worry and guilt in his soft brown eyes gazing into her own.

           
“I’m
sorry, Rae.
 
I should have known
better.
 
I guess the chance to be alone
with you made me careless.”

           
She
felt her cheeks redden at his directness.
 
The men out here certainly do not mince words.

           
At
last arriving back at the store after plodding through the mud, drenched and
shivering from the cold, Wayne rushed
her inside with his arm protectively around her shoulders.

           
She
immediately walked inside, drying her hair with the towel Diane handed her from
the stack on a nearby table.
 
Raeden
wondered why Wayne did not seem
affected by the weather.

           
“You’d
better get out of those wet clothes.
 
We
can try this again. I’ll drop by tomorrow so we can arrange a date.”

           
How
could he be so sure she would go riding with him again?
 
“Sure, why not?
 
Next time, just in case, I will dress for wet
weather.”

           
They
both chuckled and he slipped his coat from her shoulders while gazing directly
into her eyes.
 
“Has anyone ever told you
your eyes look like liquid pools of jade?”

           
Before
she could remark, he turned to leave with the smell of leather lingering after
he had gone.

***

Cash saddled his
horse when the first rain fell, angry he had said nothing to Wayne and Raeden.

           
He
knew it would probably rain and so did that jackass, Wayne.
 
Had he been so anxious to be alone with
Raeden, he didn’t give a damn?
 
There
might be a word or two spoken when he got him alone—before punching him in the
face.

           
As
soon as he rode into the muddy streets, he saw Wayne
hustle Raeden into the store with his arm around her shoulders.
 
The muscles in his neck bulged, pulsing with
anger.
 
The thought of another man
touching her threw him into a jealous rage.

           
What
the hell had happened to him anyway?
 
The
feel of silky smooth skin under his caress and the taste of her luscious mouth
haunted him every waking hour.

           
He
shook his head to clear his mind then returned Rabbit to the corral and sought
out Angie to douse the flames of desire mounting in his loins.

***

After stripping in
the washroom, Raeden briskly dried her body with the towel then stepped into
the dress she had worn in the morning.
 
She
poured a mug of coffee, absorbing the warmth of the dark liquid between her
hands and looked toward Diane.
 
“I sure
hope this lets up, I will get soaked again riding home.”

           
Diane
sipped her coffee.
 
“Nonsense, we can tie
Arte to the buggy.
 
You will ride with
us.”

           
Her
suggestion sounded fine to Raeden.
 
She
did not relish the notion of getting back into the wet clothes and certainly
did not want to ride in her dress.

           
“I
think we should leave right away and get you into a hot bath.”
 
Diane’s brow gathered in a frown.
 
“You are going to catch a chill if you don’t
get warm soon.”

Mike walked in
during the discussion.
 
“You two go
ahead, I can ride home later.”
 
He paused
for a moment.
 
“On second thought, maybe
you should wait a while to see if it clears a bit.”

The water falling
from the sky a in a torrential outburst formed a river of mud gushing down the
empty streets leaving gullies and potholes in its wake.
 
Rain barrels overflowed.
 
The sky turned pitch black broken only by
streaks of lightning, blinding forks of fire spread across miles.

“I’ll just finish
up while we wait.”
 
It’s freezing.
 
I sure hope it
will not be too long.

Raeden walked into
her workroom looking over the completed garment, stepping back to admire her
latest creation.
 
How she loved this
profession.

“It is beautiful,
Rae, but mine is the best you have done so far.”
 
Diane clutched Raeden’s arm when a lull in
the storm passed over, giving relief from the ear splitting thunder and the
hammering rain.

“Let’s get you out
of here, Rae.
 
We need to get you into a
hot bath.”
 

Mike had lowered
the isinglass to keep rain out of the carriage and soon after they departed,
the clouds burst open in a repeat performance.
 
With Arte tethered behind, they rode to the house hindered by the deep
mud obstructing the wheels.
 
Even clad in
her warm clothing, Raeden shivered the entire way.
 

Nick put up the
horses and buggy then helped carry hot water upstairs for Raeden’s bath.
 
The fire blazing near the tub made the room
cozy and warm.

Her cold limbs
slid into the hot water, she sighed when the temperature in her body rose.
 
This is
more like it.

When the water
cooled, she dried and slipped into a nightgown then cuddled under her down
quilt.
 
Puzzled by the sudden
overwhelming feeling of fatigue, she nestled into bed and fell asleep almost
the instant her head touched the pillow.

Twenty-two

           
After
pouring over journals in the study, Diane sought out Sadie, learning Raeden
refused supper when brought to her room.
 
Sadie mentioned her eyes seem listless and she sought to nap for a
while.
  
“I think maybe she has caught a
chill.”

           
“I’ll
go speak with her.
 
Thank you,
Sadie.”
 
She walked up the steps and
knocked on her door, hoping Sadie’s observation would be incorrect.

“Rae, may I come
in?”
 
Receiving no answer, she entered to
find a cape of chestnut curls fanned over her pillow, Raeden sleeping
soundly.
 
She appeared a bit reddened
however, her skin did not feel hot to the touch.
 
Just
let her sleep.
 
She must be flushed from
the hot bath after being so wet and cold.

***

Early in the
morning, Diane woke from the sounds of Raeden coughing and entered the bedroom
to find her burning with fever and rambling.
 
Oh, God don’t let this happen.

She summoned Mike
immediately to get the physician, filled a basin with cold water, placing a
cool cloth on her forehead then sat by her side, pulling a chair from the
corner.

           
Tossing
off blankets, she sponged her limbs with water attempting to cool her fiery
skin.
 
She started trembling as she tried
to get her temperature down, worried beyond measure when she did not
respond.
 

           
In
a short while, Dr. Hathaway, a man of near fifty entered with Mike.
 
His dark hair twined with gray, he stood
barely taller than Diane did.
 
With case
in hand, he sat by Raeden’s bed while Diane replaced the cloth on her forehead.

           
A
thorough exam completed, he diagnosed possible pneumonia and suggested cold
baths to bring down the fever.
 
Steam
would help with the cough as well as whiskey with honey spooned into her
mouth.
 
He stood snapping the black bag
closed and turned to leave the room.

           
“Thank
you, doctor we will do all you suggested.”
 
It can’t be pneumonia; she could possibly
die.

           
“You’re
welcome.
 
I’ll drop by this evening.
 
If her fever breaks before then keep her warm
and dry.”

           
After
he’d gone, Diane called Sadie to help fill the tub with cold water.
 
They removed her nightgown then immersed her
in the bathtub, holding down her hands while she shivered and quaked.
 
When her skin cooled, they placed her on the
bed beneath a clean sheet.
 
She looks so small and helpless and the
wretched coughing.
 
Oh, I must get the
kettles for steam and the whiskey.

           
Raeden
thrashed and rambled in her delirious state as they continued to bathe
her.
 
Is
that Cash’s name she is calling?

           
Late
in the evening when the fever finally broke, the profusion of sweat soaked the
linens on her bed.
 
Thank God, she’s better.
 
She
quit resisting and the two women washed her, put on a fresh gown and replaced
the bed sheets.
 
Tucked back into bed,
she opened her eyes and spoke to Diane.

           
“What
happened?
 
Is something wrong?
 
I have a terrible headache and I’m so
thirsty.”
 
Diane saw the essence reappear
to the face of girl she knew and loved so well.

           
She
held a glass of water to her lips and watched her drink.
 
“You had a fever, but it’s gone now.”