Echoes of the Heart (19 page)

           
A
knock below signaled the doctor and he entered the room a few moments
later.
 
He sat beside her bed
smiling.
 
“You certainly look better than
you did this afternoon, young lady.”
 
He
patted her hand.
 
“I want you to stay in
bed for a few days.
 
These things can
come back with a vengeance.
 
You don’t
want a relapse.”

           
He must be joking.
 
I can’t stay in bed.
 
“I have gowns to complete before the
party.
 
Really I’m fine.”
 
Trying to stand, she fell back on the bed.
Unaccustomed to weakness, she inwardly cursed her lack of energy, feeling like
a rag doll with no skeleton for support.

           
Diane
turned to the doctor.
 
“Don’t worry.
 
We will keep her in bed if we have to tie her
down.”

           
A
sigh escaped Raeden when they left her room.
 
Well maybe I am a bit tired, but I
will be okay in the morning.”
 
She
relaxed, settled into her blankets, closed her eyes and slept.

           
It
seemed only an instant since she had closed her eyes when Diane entered with a
tray.
 
“Here, Rae, you need plenty of
fluids.
 
I brought tea and some
toast.”
 
Diane helped her sit up and
fluffed pillows behind her back then sat beside her while she finished the tea.

           
Raeden
lay back down and Diane left with the tray.
 
Perhaps she should rest for a few days.
 
She had been very busy of late.
 
She could catch up on some reading.
 
Raeden fell asleep, not waking until morning.

Twenty-three

           
Bundled
comfortably on the sitting room sofa, Raeden looked through the picture window at
the freshly cleansed garden reaching toward the sun in the front of the
house.
 
She had been napping and reading
the previously purchased
War & Peace
translated into French, a long drawn out volume demanding concentration.

           
Through
the glass, she saw Wayne riding to
the house jumping off his horse, a bouquet of wildflowers in his hand.
 
She heard Sadie let him inside, directing him
to the room where she sat wrapped in a quilt, legs folded beneath her on the
divan.

           
Wayne
almost stumbled into the room, removing his hat.
 
“Rae, I heard what happened.
 
I’m so sorry I asked you to go riding.
 
This is my fault.”
 
Red-faced with remorse, he handed her the
multi-colored flowers.
 
She lifted them
to inhale their subtle fragrance.
 

           
She
found him endearing and placed them across her lap.
 
“The flowers are lovely.
 
Thank you, Wayne.”
 
The look on his face told Raeden he was full
of remorse.
 
“Don’t be silly.
 
You did nothing wrong.”
 
She patted the seat next to her.
 
“Why don’t you sit down?”

           
He
sat near holding his hat, twisting it between partly spread knees.
 
Raeden took his hat, placing it next to her
book on the end table, glad she had worn the lilac-colored velvet bed jacket
when he gave an approving gaze.

           
“Looks
like pretty heavy stuff you reading.”

           
“Yes,
but it helps pass the time.
 
How are
things at the bank?”

           
“The
bank is doing fine.
 
Business is booming
since the railroad arrived.
 
We just got
another large account.”
 
His tone became
serious when he placed a hand over hers, peering into her eyes.
 
“Are you sure you’re okay?”

***

It did not take
long for Cash to hear of Raeden’s illness.
 
Rumor had it she laid on her deathbed.
 
He raced to the paddock to saddle his Appaloosa then broke into a run to
see if she truly lay dying, near panic seizing his raw nerves.
 
His old nightmares revisited to haunt him and
he felt a twinge in his chest under the left side of his rib cage.
 
Raeden
can’t die.
 
She is much too healthy and
strong.
 
He tried to convince himself
without much success.

           
Lather flew off Rabbit when he
neared the rear of the house, he jumped from the saddle and ran inside.
 
Barging in, Sadie lurched back looking
terrified.
 
“Where is she?
 
People in town are saying she is dying.”

           
Sadie
held her hand open on her chest and let out a long breath and shaking her
head.
 
“She’s fine, just a chill riding
in the rain.”

She must think I’m a madman.
 
Well maybe I am.

           
At
her reassuring words, relief ran through him.
 
“She’s in the sitting room with company.
 
Wayne dropped by to see her,
also.”
 
His teeth clenched when his jaw
muscles tensed.
 
I should beat the bastard for taking her out in bad weather.
 
He should have more sense.

           
Hearing
laughter, he strode toward the sitting room to find Wayne
holding her hand, admiration obvious while he looked into her fiery green
eyes.
 
She placed a kiss on his cheek and
murmured in a low voice.
 
“I’m fine Wayne,
really.
 
Thanks for your concern.”

           
His
unease instantly vanished.
 
Anger took
over while standing there watching the two of them touch.
 
Perhaps
I should drag him outside and discuss this matter further.
 
Better yet, maybe I should throttle her.
 
How could she act so nice to a man that
almost killed her?
 
She must be
batty.
 
On the other hand, maybe she is
out to trap
him.
 
Well what did it matter.
 
He didn’t want her anyway.
 
Maybe he did, at least in one way.
 
He rode away in a state of confusion and
rage, attempting to lock his feelings away somewhere, anywhere.
 
He had enough of this silly nonsense, making
a fool of himself, as if he really cared.

***

           
Could
it be hoof beats she heard?
 
Glancing
outside she saw Cash’s backside while he rode off in the distance looking like
he had been born riding a horse.
 
She had
heard a horse arrive but thought it Diane coming in the back door.
 
Maybe he had come to see her.
 
No, it
must have been another reason.
 
Why is my
heart beating so fast?
 
I despise him,
good riddance.
 
I will never let him
touch me again.

           
After
Wayne left, she sat alone with her
thoughts and wondered why she felt so disappointed that Cash had ridden off
with no concern at all for her welfare.
 
The selfish arrogant oaf!

Twenty-four

           
Raeden’s
few days of rest passed slowly.
 
She
needed to get back to finish the gowns, and vowing their completion, she would
work late.

Setting up a cot in
her workroom to sleep, she worked late into the night.
 
Diane had voiced her objection as Raeden
insisted she could avoid the cold night air if she stayed over night. After
all, she did have a gun and knew how to use it.

After completing
her final assignment of Caroline’s gown, she put everything neatly in its
place.

With the gala
affair just three days away, Raeden felt energized.
 
She would wear the green velvet gown from her
unused trousseau.
 
The situation made her
laugh.
 
What a narrow escape, she had
almost ruined her life.
 
Now success in New
York seemed closer than ever.
 
She decided she would go next spring, even if
she had heard nothing regarding the letters she had sent.

The shade closed
on the window, she wore a heavy robe over her petticoat for sleeping, banked
the fire in the stove then brushed her hair to a lustrous sheen.
 
The noise of footsteps drumming on the planks
outside drew her attention.
 
No one would
come to the store this late.
 

Her heart struck
against her ribcage at pounding fists on the front door.
 
Get
your gun, its right under your pillow.
 
Gun
in hand, she stood by the door shaking with trepidation.
 
“Open the damn door, Rae.
 
I know you are in there.”

She knew that
voice.
 
What does he want now?
 
Cracking the door a few inches, he shoved it
open banging against the wall then stepped inside to stand directly in front of
her.
 
His feral eyes pierced into hers
causing a rush of alarm and forcing her to step back.

           
Raeden
would never allow him to know her fear.
 
She straightened her back and threw her chin up in defiance while
pointing her pistol directly at his chest.

“Just what in the
hell are you doing here dressed in your robe?
 
Are you crazy?
 
You can’t stay
here alone overnight.”
 
With a flick of a
wrist, he snatched the gun from her hand.
 
“What are you doing with this?
 
You will shoot someone or yourself, and I certainly do not intend it
should be me.”
           
The anger in his voice made
her hands begin to shake.
 
I would not mind shooting you, you cranky
old bull, scolding me as if I am a child.
 
“I fail to see it’s any of your concern, Marshal.
 
I want you to leave.”
 
She watched the muscles in his neck tense and
a tick develop in his right eye.
 
Hah, he is even angrier now
.
 
Good.

His jaw twitched
while he snarled through gritted teeth.
 
“It
is
my business,
Raeden.
 
I’m responsible for the safety
of all in this town and you are no exception.”

“As I said before,
Marshal, what I do is no concern of yours.
 
I neither want nor need your protection; I can take care of
myself.”
 
She snatched the gun back,
holding it down by her side.

She saw a glint of
humor flash in his dark eyes.
 
He is laughing again.
 
He makes me so mad.

Mischievous eyes
scanned her body then he grabbed her hair pulling her head back and laid a long
possessive kiss on her mouth.
 
Her knees
felt like rubber when he finally let her loose.
 
“Suit yourself.”
 
He left the
store.

Her hand flew up
wiping his kiss from her mouth.
 
She
slammed the door behind him and turned the latch.
 
The
nerve of that man.
 
Will he never give
up?
 
Cursing the day she had met
Cash, she settled in to rest before dawn opened the busy day ahead.

Vivid red and gold
rays streamed through the edges of the blind.
 
She had overslept!
 
She ran to unlock the door then into the
washroom and threw on her clothes.
 
The
bell on the door signaled someone entering so she ran her fingers through
rumpled hair then turned to see Billy, his eyes slowly dropping to her
chest.
 
Before she walked passed him, the
bell rang again.
 
When she moved past
Billy, he sounded amused while he casually waved a finger in front of her
chest.

“You may want to
button up before you go out there.”

She saw her bodice
half-buttoned and grasped her dress to close the gap.
 
She could feel the fire rise to her
cheeks.
 
“Oh, damn.”
 
With awkward fingers, she reached for the
buttons just as Cash entered the doorway, looking placid and collected.
 
She drew her hands up to run her fingers
through her hair while she held her breath.
 

His voice mocked
her while he stood staring with a hateful look, making her cringe.
 
“Don’t let me disturb you.”
 
This time he did not laugh when he turned his
back to walk away.

She returned to
the washroom and bushed out her hair.
 
This is so embarrassing.
 
She washed her face then entered to find
Billy at the counter waiting to buy.