Tumbleweed Letters (10 page)

Veers rode on to the sheriff’s office, while Cam took Eli to the Gold Nugget Hotel and got them a room. As he had a time or two before, he hired the wife of the hotel owner to watch his son. He hurried off to Madam Dora’s determined to get his wife—
his
Sophie Catherine.

Dora turned when he stepped into the brothel. “Cam.” She hurried toward him, her forehead furrowed in concern. “I heard the sheriff released Veers this morning.”

“Yeah. He didn’t waste any time in coming out to the ranch. I’ve come for my wife.” His eyes scanned the room.

“She’s not here.”

“Have you seen her?”

She shook her head. “You know I’d tell you if I did. I can see you love her.”

“My feelings are mine, Miz Dora. Now where is she?” He didn’t love her. He cared for her, yes. Enjoyed her company, for sure. Was grateful for the way she’d taken care of Eli as if the child were hers. Making love to her was more intense than he’d ever before experienced, even with Amanda. But, no, he didn’t love her. Did he?

“Cam, I don’t think she came to town. I haven’t heard a thing, if she has, and surely she’d come here. She knows I’d take her in.”

The door opened behind them, and they both turned. Sheriff Manning and Veers stepped inside and shook off the snow. “Cam,” the sheriff said. “Thought we’d find you here. Veers said your new wife left you. Did you find her yet?”

“Miz Dora says Sophie Catherine isn’t here. While I’ve got someone to take care of my son, I’m going door to door, searching for her.” He turned to leave, and the sheriff grabbed his arm.

“Cam, my deputies and I can help.”

“Ask him about the note, Sheriff.” Veers elbowed Manning.

“I’m not prying into a man’s private correspondence. I’ve known Cam for years. He’s a good man, a proud man. If he says his wife left him, she did. Back off, Veers. You hold damn little authority in my town. Cam, you take this side of the street. I’ll take the opposite side.”

Both men stepped out into the snowstorm, pressed their collars to the backs of their necks, and with heads lowered into the wind went in search of Sophie Catherine McBride.

****

Someone held a ladle of broth to Sophie’s lips. “You drink.” The voice was feminine. Sophie’s heavy eyes slowly opened, and she blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the dimness. A small fire flamed in the center, giving off both heat and light. A pot hung over the fire from a triangle. Smoke rose slowly to an opening at the top.
Where am I?

Her gaze swept the area as she sipped at the hot broth. Was this a teepee? She’d seen pictures of an Indian village in a newspaper back in Pennsylvania. She lay on a pile of animal hides, cocooned in their fur.

The last thing she remembered was riding Daisy in the bitter cold. Then she fell from the horse’s height into a white cottony abyss. How did she end up here?

Someone pulled back a flap and stooped to enter. The man spoke words she couldn’t understand, and the girl tending her left. He came closer and hunkered beside her. His face lowered and his hand rubbed over her hair. Sophie tried to scoot away from his touch, her gaze dropping to the knife in a beaded scabbard at his side. If she fought him, would he stab her? Scalp her?

The flap moved again, and Standing Bear entered. He spoke in an authoritative, almost angry, tone to the first man. The two crossed their arms over their chests and exchanged a few more words. Finally, the first man left.

Standing Bear sat next to her. “Did he touch you, Sophie?”

“Only my hair. Who is he? What did he want?”

“He is called Long Knife, and he wants you.”

“Me? For what?”

“His squaw. He wants you to warm his bed at night.”

Saints preserve me. An Irish squaw?
She swallowed her fear. “But I’m married. Doesn’t he know that?”

“You’ve left your husband. Here in our world, few women are without a man. Especially a woman with your golden-red hair.”

“How do you know I’ve left Cam?” Her fingertips went to her aching head. “For that matter, how did I end up here?”

“A small hunting party found you lying in the snow. I was in the party and recognized you. I carried you back to my teepee.”

Her stomach twisted. She’d heard that Natives had some odd traditions. Different cultures had different ways of thinking about things. “Your teepee?” Her gaze swept around the floor, looking for another pile of blankets. “Where…where do you sleep?”

A slow smile spread. “With you, so I can protect you.”

“No. No, you won’t. I might not live with Cam McBride, but make no mistake about it, I will always be his wife. No other man will touch me and live to tell about it. So, if that kind of foolishness,”—she waved her hand between the two of them—“you and me in the same bed, is what you’ve got in your mind, then kill me right now. Have I made myself clear, then?”

Standing Bear grunted. “You make too much noise. I bet Cam is glad you’re gone.”

****

While the winds howled and freezing rain pelted against the window of the hotel, Cam paced the floor. Eli’s soft snores were hardly a comfort.
Where
was his Sophie Catherine? He, the sheriff, and two deputies had knocked on most of the doors in town, both businesses and homes, hunting for his wife. She was nowhere to be found.
Where in the hell is she?

His wife was not here. If she’d changed her mind and returned home where she belonged, it would be a day or two before he could get to her. If she hadn’t and was lost somewhere out in this storm, would she survive? The image of her frozen in some snowbank made him ill with fear. It might be weeks before the snow melted.

He slumped into a chair and rested his elbows on his knees, his head leaning into his hands. What would he do without her? How had a little redhead come to mean so much to him so quickly?

“Momma,” Eli murmured in his sleep. The boy had asked for her all day. He couldn’t understand why she’d suddenly disappeared. She played with him and showed him love. Love the child craved. Hell, he’d craved love, himself, and his new wife gave it in so many ways.

And what had he done? He’d kept up his ritual of a nightly talk with Amanda. That his Sophie Catherine might see him and be hurt by it never occurred to him. A groan of disgust escaped the constricted confines of his chest.

What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he say goodbye to Amanda and focus on building a life with his new wife? He ran both hands through his hair.

Stupidity. Hadn’t his maw called him a “creature of habit”?

Chapter Fourteen

The day after the storm ended, Cam and Eli were eating breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Cam wanted to head for home. The sun shone, and he hoped it had enough strength to melt the snow and turn it mushy. He hated forcing Samson through it, but his animals needed to be fed. He only hoped they’d survived his time away from the ranch.

Going home without his Sophie Catherine gave him no comfort. He still hung onto the hope she’d be there when he returned.

Few horses and buggies traveled on the street outside. In a day or so, life would return to normal. Not his, though. Not without his Sophie Catherine to light up his world with her sunbeam smile and her Irish brogue. Losing her was something he’d never get over.

He settled his bill at the hotel and bundled up Eli. They stepped outside and squinted at the sun’s glare on the snow. “Come on, Eli. Let’s go saddle up Samson.” Hollis Stables was a couple blocks down the street.

Five Indians rode into town. What were they doing off the reservation? He halted when he recognized Standing Bear leading the group. His friend raised a hand in greeting. Cam returned the gesture. That’s when he saw Daisy—and the figure atop the horse.

Eli bolted toward the horse, high-stepping through the snow. “Momma! Momma!”

Sophie Catherine slipped from the saddle and ran toward the child. She scooped him up in her arms, laughing and crying as she bestowed kisses on his face.

Cam couldn’t have moved if sticks of dynamite were planted under the heel of his boot. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. His breathing quickened, yet he couldn’t move. If he did, she might disappear right in front of his eyes like those mirages he’d read about.

Standing Bear jumped from his pony and stepped toward Cam. He clasped his hand on Cam’s shoulder. “I found her lying in the snow. She didn’t know where she was. I might have kept her”—his gaze swept toward the woman—“but she makes too much noise.”

Sophie Catherine slowly approached. “We went to the ranch, but no one was there. The animals were crying to be fed. The cows needed milking. We took care of them and then rode into town, hoping you’d be here.”

His heart hurt so bad he couldn’t think straight. “You’ve been with Standing Bear? While I was tearing this town apart, you were with him?”

Tears pooled in her eyes. “Don’t be angry.”

He reached out and hauled her and Eli to him. Oh, he
was
angry. Angry as hell. Relieved as hell. Scared as hell that she’d abandon him again. “You left me. You left us. And I shouldn’t be angry? You made me fall in love with you, and I shouldn’t be angry that you abandoned me as if I meant nothing to you?”

She handed Eli to Standing Bear and then wrapped cold hands around Cam’s face. “Cam, I had to keep Veers away from you and the ranch.” Tears froze on her cheeks. “I thought I was doing the right thing, until Standing Bear told me I was foolish.”

“Yes. Foolish woman. Makes too much noise.”

Cam glared at his friend for a beat. Standing Bear smirked at his obvious anger, which only irritated him more.

“Hold on! Wait just one moment. I want to talk to her.” Veers hurried up the street with the sheriff on his heels.

Sophie Catherine turned and squared her shoulders. “I’ll handle this.”

“Get behind me, woman. Standing Bear’s right. You make too much noise.”

****

Sophie narrowed her eyes at Cam’s back. As usual, he made her feel two things at once. Seeing little Eli and him after being away from them for days swelled her heart with joy. His reaction, though, was cold and angry. Yet he had said he loved her. She yanked on the back of his coat, and he scowled at her over his shoulder. “So, do you love me, then? And quit making that irritated face, or it might freeze like that. Then what would you do?”

He whirled around on her, grabbed her arms and yanked her to him. Before she knew what was coming, he kissed her. Hard. Insistent. Possessive. She felt as if he were pouring out his heart in that kiss, and she gloried in it.

When he pulled away, his jaw was set in determination. “You belong with us. We need you. I need you. And, yes, I love you.”

Veers grabbed Sophie’s arm. “You’ve led me on a merry chase, young woman. Now I want what your husband gave you.”

Cam’s hands went around Veer’s throat. “Get your hands off my wife.” The two stumbled into the snow. Cam’s fist landed on Veer’s jaw.

Sheriff Manning pulled Cam off the Pinkerton. “This isn’t helping things, Cam. Now I want all of you in my office. We’re going to settle this once and for all. Cam, Veers, Mrs. McBride, come with me.”

“Momma.” Eli leaned from Standing Bear’s arms for her to take him.

“Come here, then.” She took the boy in her arms and kissed him. “Standing Bear, would you hand me my valise? I don’t have much, but I won’t have it stolen by the likes of Jethro or one of the other hooligans of this town.” With her son in one arm and her valise in the other, she followed the men down the street. She only hoped where she was going—the jailhouse—wouldn’t become her permanent home.

Inside the sheriff’s office, accusations and angry words were exchanged. Veers insisted Tommy Flannigan had given her the bearer bonds he’d stolen from a railroad owner.

Frustrated and a tad scared, she thrust the valise at the Pinkerton. “Here. This is the only thing Tommy ever gave me. Look through it, I don’t care. But I’m telling you, I’m no thief.”

Veers set the valise on the sheriff’s desk and began taking out her clothes. Once it was empty, he turned it upside down and shook it. “Feels a little heavy for being empty.” He tried to squeeze the bottom between his hands. “Something’s hidden here in the bottom.” He slipped a knife from his pocket and cut the bottom. A thick stack of bearer bonds fell out, along with a diamond necklace and ear-bobs.

“Sweet Mary and Joseph! That rapscallion gave me a bag full of stolen things.” Wide-eyed, she turned toward Cam. “I didn’t know I had them.” If he didn’t believe her, what would she do?

He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulled her to him and kissed her head. “I believe you, Sophie Catherine.” He turned hard eyes toward Veers. “You’ve got what you came for. Now leave my wife alone.”

Sheriff Manning glared at Veers. “I’m satisfied Mrs. McBride is innocent, and I’m in agreement with Cam. Time to give this poor woman some peace. Take the bonds and the jewels and head back where you came from.”

Veers nodded. “Very well. I’ve got what I came for.”

Cam drew Sophie to him again. “And I’ve got what I came for. Sheriff, if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to take my family home now.”

The sheriff nodded. “Seems to me things are settled all the way around.”

Cam opened the door for Sophie and Eli. “Let’s head for home.”

Sophie stepped outside and then stopped. There were things she had to say. She couldn’t be second best in her husband’s heart anymore. “Cam, I can’t compete with Amanda.”

Warm fingers trailed down her cheek. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry I couldn’t let go of the past. I never meant to hurt you.”

“If only I could believe your words.” She wanted to—oh, how she wanted to.

“I love you, Sophie Catherine. I think I have from the moment I read your tumbleweed letters. Part of me will always love Amanda, but she’s gone now. I’ve said my goodbyes. We can have a good future, the three of us. Promise you won’t leave us again.”

The shape of her husband’s face blurred through her tears. “I love you. I’ll stay with you two forever.”

“Mine?” Cam asked.