Shadow's Stand (19 page)

“Fei Yen.”

“You’re Michael’s wife?”

Fei blinked in confusion and then remembered Shadow was a wanted man. He must have assumed a new name. Bowing, she said, “Yes.”

“Got a bit of Chinese in you, I see.” There was no censure in the comment.

“My father.”

“Ah.” Ida did an awkward bow in return. “Forgive me if it’s not as pretty as yours. My arthritis is acting up.”

Fei liked Ida more and more. “I am honored by your consideration.”

Ida turned to Lin. “And you’re her…?”

Lin took Ida’s hand before the woman could attempt to bow and shook it. “I am her cousin, Lin. You have a lovely home. I am honored that you share it with us.”

The rest of the crowd dispersed. “It’s my pleasure.”

Ida called down the stairs, “You know where the barn is, Michael.”

Lin cut Fei a questioning look. Fei shook her head. She didn’t have time to explain now.

“Unless you moved it, it should be behind the house,” Shadow called back.

Ida snorted. “When you get those horses settled, wash up and come in for dinner.”

Shadow tipped his hat. “You got any cheese biscuits baking?”

“I might.”

“Then I’ll hurry.”

“As if there was ever a doubt,” Ida muttered before calling out, “Be sure to close that door behind you, Michael. We don’t want any riffraff sneaking in.”

“I swear to God,” Ida said, ushering Fei and Lin into the house, “no matter how dire an event, a man never stops thinking of his stomach.”

“
Do
you have cheese biscuits?” Lin asked.

Ida chuckled and closed the door behind them, setting the shotgun just inside the foyer. “We will by the time he gets done.”

I
DA
’
S
HOUSE
WAS
VERY
NEAT
.
The parlor had two horsehair sofas, a wingback chair and a small table. White lamps with pink flowers painted on the glass shades perched on lace doilies laid on well-polished side tables. On the wall opposite the door, a small fireplace sported a white wooden mantel. On the mantel was a bible. Everything was spotless. It was a room where people would come to relax and talk. It was perfect for a boardinghouse.

Ida motioned to the sofa. “Sit.”

Fei was too nervous to sit. She wanted to be with Shadow. To make sure he was all right. Crossing to the window, she pulled back the curtains.

Ida made mincemeat of her intentions with a slash of her hand. “You’re not going to do the boy any good pacing at the windows.”

Boy? She would call Shadow many things, but boy wasn’t one of them. “I am worried.”

Ida sat in one of the wingback chairs. “They won’t bother him in my shed. If they’re going to do anything, they’ll jump him when you all leave town. So, for tonight, at least, you’re safe.”

For tonight. One night. They were going to be in town more than one night, yet they only had one of safety. A pang of longing for the sheltered upbringing she’d fled struck Fei.

“It is very different here.”

Leaning forward, Ida patted her shoulder. “Don’t you go worrying about anything. It’s a good man you’ve got there. He’ll have it figured out before you wake in the morning.”

Lin took a seat on the sofa. Fei didn’t see any choice but to join her.

“How did you two meet Michael?”

Again, Lin looked to her. Fei didn’t have an answer. How much to tell? What was safe to say? Shadow was a wanted man. He was here under a false name. This woman thought she was his friend. But if Shadow hadn’t told her the truth, was she? Ida shook her head at the long hesitation. “Not much of a liar, are you?”

“No.”

Lin came to her defense. “There has not been much need to practice.”

“Uh-huh. Well, I was going to leave you both here while I went into the kitchen and made some tea, but I think you best be coming with me. You’re the jumpy sort. I never trust the jumpy sort.”

Fei
was
feeling jumpy and tea did sound good. This time when Lin looked at her, she nodded.

The kitchen was in the back of the house. A large, square room, it had the same feminine, efficient decor as the parlor. Fei liked it immediately, the same way she’d liked Ida immediately.

Fei’s mother had always said one could tell a lot about a person by the way they kept their kitchen and this one was neat, well stocked and everything was in its place. A bowl of orange flowers sat over on the cabinet, and some red roses stood in a tall vase in the center of the table. Lin walked over to the roses, touching the petals before inhaling the scent.

“I see you like my flowers.”

“They are beautiful.”

Ida nodded as she put fresh kindling under the front burner of the stove before filling the kettle from a bucket by the back door.

“I always said there’s nothing like a nice display of flowers to brighten the darkest days.”

Fei nodded. “I feel the same. My favorite flowers are orchids.”

“Can’t grow them here.” Ida sighed. “But I tried.”

“My favorites are roses,” Lin said.

“I could have guessed that from the way you went straight for them.”

Ida put the kettle on the stove.

“Are these from your garden?” Lin asked.

“Nope, those were a gift.” She winked at Fei. “Got me an admirer or two.”

Lin gasped and covered her laughter with her hand. Fei was so stunned, she forgot to cover her smile.

Ida laughed out loud. “I know, at your age, it’s hard to think that someone my age would have a man interested in her, but life doesn’t end at twenty and neither do any of the emotions we live with all our lives. To tell you the truth, inside I still feel twenty.”

Fei would like to have that kind of spirit when she was old.

“You enjoy your life.”

“Well, about the only choice a body has is to make the most of what they have or just curl up and die.” Ida motioned to the right. “Lin, could you bring three cups from the cupboard there?”

“Of course.”

Ida took a tin off the table. “Now, would you both like tea?”

“Oh, yes, please.” Fei and Lin spoke in unison.

Ida laughed again.

“Been that kinda day, huh?”

“It has been very challenging,” Lin said.

“That a polite way of saying Michael’s dragged you hither and yon?”

“Yes, but at our request,” Fei felt compelled to explain.

“No need to get to his defense. Just because I know him doesn’t mean I don’t like him. The opposite, as a matter of fact.” She put a measure of tea in a perforated metal ball and dropped it in the kettle. “I don’t have any boarders at the moment so supper is light, but I’ve got some ham and fresh bread to go with it if you’d like.”

Fei’s stomach answered for her, rumbling loudly.

Ida lined up the cups and saucers. “I guess that’s a yes.”

Fei was so flustered that she forgot her English.
“Xei-xei.”

“You hungry, too?” she asked Lin.

“Yes.”

“Well, then, make yourself useful.” She pointed to Lin. “There’s bread over there. Why don’t you get to slicing. And, Fei, you can grab some tomatoes and greens from the basket over there by the window while I get to fixing those biscuits Michael sets such store by.”

Ida was like a commander, the way she barked out orders, but it was hard to take offense because there was no meanness in her manner. She was just a woman who liked order.

“Are not tomatoes poisonous?”

Ida shook her head. “Don’t go telling me you believe that hoo-ha.”

“Everyone knows this,” Lin answered.

“Well, I’m someone, and I’m not dead.” She poured the tea carefully into the cups. “I happen to love the things. Can’t get enough this time of year.”

Fei hesitated, knife in hand. Lin shrugged. Fei sighed. She’d come this far.

“I got me some buttermilk dressing here for our greens. You ever have buttermilk dressing?”

Fei shook her head.

“It’s heaven in your mouth.”

Right now Fei would eat any kind of dressing, she was so hungry. She wasn’t sure what to do with the tomatoes, though.

“Just cut them in wheels, honey.” She did, making them as thin as possible. If she were forced to eat one, she’d prefer it thin. There would not be so much poison that way.

Twenty minutes later the back door opened and Shadow stepped in, taking off his hat and hanging it by the door with the aura of a man comfortable in his environment. His hair around his face was slightly damp from washing up. He looked handsome and desirable.

Ida’s lined face dissolved into a smile. “Come here and give me a hug.”

To Fei’s surprise, Shadow smiled and did as he was told. She could only stare as he hugged the old woman back with every appearance of genuine affection.

“Don’t go getting jealous there—” Ida said over her shoulder. “I’ve known him a lot longer than you.”

“Are you jealous, Fei?” Shadow asked with a small smile as Ida stepped back.

The knife sliced through the tomato like it was butter. It hit the wood cutting board with a loud smack. Jealous? She was not jealous just because he gave another what she would want for herself. “If you grin at me in such a way…
Michael,
I will leave your biscuits to burn.”

He came over with the slow easy grace that melted her bones. His hand cupped her cheek, before sliding around to the nape of her neck. Anticipation shivered down her spine. “You don’t like the way I smile?”

She set the knife on the cutting board. “I like the way you smile at me right now.”

His eyebrow cocked up. “And how is that?”

She studied the softness of his mouth, the relaxed crinkle at the corner of his eyes. The genuine warmth in his eyes. She leaned into his hand. “Like you mean it.”