Echoes of the Heart (4 page)

           
“Oh,
Aunt Diane, what can I do?”
 
She drew in
closer to her aunt in an effort to dispel the fears seeming to grow and spread
like wildfire.

           
“Well,
to start with, do you love Chris?”
 
She
lifted Raeden’s face with her hand and forced eye contact.
           

           
Raeden
stumbled for words.
 
“Well…
 
I think so.
 
At least, oh I don’t know, I want to.”

           
“Wanting
to and actually being in love are two completely different things.
 
If you don’t love him, you owe it to yourself
and to Chris to stop pretending.
 
It will
only make both of you miserable in the long run.”
 
Her brows drew together and the blue of her
eyes became intense.
 
“Don’t you
understand?
 
Of course, there will be an
interval of awkwardness and hard feelings from your family and his.
 
He will be hurt, for sure.
 
Those things just take time.
 
We are talking about the rest of your life,
Raeden.”

           
Raeden
pulled the handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes then blew her
nose.
 
“Well, you certainly have given me
something to think about.
 
Let’s go back
home.
 
There are still things needing to
be done before the ceremony tomorrow.”

           
After
pulling on their boots, Diane’s face drooped, a look of sadness causing tiny
frown lines along the sides of her sensual mouth.
 
Strolling toward their animals in silence,
they mounted and rode in the direction of home.
 
On the return trip, the beauty of the land did nothing to improve
Raeden’s mood.
 
Her face grimaced as her
thoughts ran roughshod through her mind.
 
A tiny chipmunk climbed a nearby tree, tail twitching feverishly in the
air.
 
Even his lively barking complaints
failed to draw a smile.

Once near the stable
they both alit and started for the door.
 
The groom led the horses into the paddock for a rub down and a hearty
breakfast after their exercise.

           
Raeden
hurriedly grabbed the clothes she had worn, no longer caring if her mother said
anything regarding her attire.
 
Diane
dressed similarly, after all.
 
What could
her mother say?
 
They walked up the front
steps into the house through the hand carved oak door adorning the
entrance.
 
Sophia approached as they came
into the foyer, wringing her hands, flashing her daughter a disapproving
glance.

“Where have you
been?
 
You had me worried sick.
 
Don’t you realize the wedding is tomorrow
evening?
 
We still have things to do.
 
Have you seen to your dress?
 
Honestly, Raeden, you do try my
patience.”
 
She scurried off quickly,
shaking her head proceeding into the kitchen to check for the umpteenth time on
the dinner menu.
 
There would be many
guests and Raeden knew her mother only wanted everything to be perfect for her
eldest daughter’s wedding, caught enthusiastically into the event.
 
Nothing pleased her more than to plan
festivities and elaborate dinner parties, spoken about on the lips of society
for weeks afterward.

Raeden and Diane
hurriedly ascended the stairs to their rooms.
 
Raeden hugged her aunt.
 
“Thank
you so much for listening to me.
 
Why
don’t you come in and I’ll show you my wedding dress?
 
It’s one of my best works.”
 
Diane, being her shining example of a real
woman, Raeden desired her approval.

She showed a
half-hearted smile as she followed Raeden into her room.

           
They
entered to light pouring through the windows, bathing the space in warm morning
rays.
 
Raeden went to her closet and
pulled out the gown she had completed of white embroidered silk with a low cut
neckline embellished with lace.
 
Folds of
silk accentuated the tiny waist and draped in the back to the floor, making the
dress flow with a slight flare.
 
The lace
sleeves long and form fitting, ended at the wrists with small points covering
the top of her hand, miniature pearls sewed around each cuff.
 
White satin lining showed through the silk
giving it a slight shimmer. A veil of the same lace fell to the floor.

           
“Oh,
Raeden, it’s stunning.
 
Your imagination
never ceases to amaze me.”

           
Bursting
with pride, Raeden smiled.
 
“Of
course.”
 
She brushed the gown with
loving hands, taking in the smooth textured shimmering fabric, so pleased with
herself she had created an article of such beauty.
 
Next, she pulled out the shoes she would wear
and sat them beside the dress then reached for a small reticule of the same
lace and satin with a ribbon cord to fit over her wrist.

           
“I
also have lace gloves I bought to finish it off.
 
I have pearls Mother gave me for my sixteenth
birthday.
 
I’ll wear those, also.”

           
Tears
spilled from her eyes.
 
Overwhelmed with
sudden sorrow, she sat on the bed, head in her hands and began weeping.

           
“Oh,
Aunt Diane, I just can’t do this.
 
I feel
in my heart it is very wrong.”
 
She
turned watery eyes to look her aunt square in the face.

           
Diane
handed her another handkerchief and sat beside her on the bed.
 
Her expression let Raeden know how much she
sympathized with her predicament.

           
“Well,
there is only one thing to do.”
 
She
patted her on the knee then stood from the bed and grasped both of Raeden’s
hands in hers.
 
“We must call off the
ceremony.”

Three

Charged with
protecting the town, District Federal Marshal, Cash Rydell stood casting a long
shadow along the plank walk while he surveyed the streets.
 
The burgeoning growth of Chamberlain, South
Dakota brought many changes along with the need for
an additional deputy to insure the security of those in his safekeeping.
 

In the distance,
clouds of thick red dust rose over the heads of hundreds of cattle in holding
pens at the Dakota Southern railway station eventually connecting to St.
Louis and Kansas City,
the center of meatpacking.
 

Along with the
increasing herds came additional ranch hands looking for a good time at the
saloon keeping Cash and his deputy, John, busy mediating brawls and locking up
drunken cowboys until they sobered.
 
Nothing unusual, just the result from weeks of driving cattle.
 
They needed to let off steam.

Gold and silver
mines in the Black Hills became a threat to the Cheyenne
tribes making it necessary for him to try to keep the peace between the miners
and his Indian friends.
 
He needed
another deputy in town to assist John while he spent many days out in his
district tending to his numerous duties
  

The railroad line,
once completed, allowed commerce to increase rapidly, supporting the populace
making it possible for the townspeople to enjoy the finer items their newfound
wealth could buy, along with the vast estate houses erected throughout the
area.
 
All enjoyed receiving mail on a
regular schedule.

The increased
growth in population near the southern borders of South
Dakota helped build a significant political base for
the new state.
 
Along with frequent
visits from Senator Wilcox to Pierre,
the state capitol required Cash’s input and presence when he held meetings with
the state legislature forcing him out of town more often, leaving John on his
own.

Under the sun’s
warmth, Cash unbuttoned the top of his black buffalo plaid shirt and observed
the workers installing wooden planks along the new shop fronts while he rolled
up his sleeves.
 
His boots made hollow
sounds on the walkway as he strode toward the office.

The town now
boasted a big livery stable, eating establishments and a grand hotel.
 
All marked the passage of time and the tide
of progress since his childhood.
 

While observing
the project to improve the mud rutted streets, he could not help but be amazed
at the signs of ever-increasing prosperity around him.
 
The same growth made it necessary for him to
sit on the city council meeting on occasion, not to his liking but his input
regarding the expanding population and increased crime became paramount.

Entering the
office, Deputy John Ward, greeted him.
 
His tall sturdy frame and ruggedness still showed some signs of
immaturity, but Cash knew within a short time he would be especially intimidating
if he chose.
 
The blond young man, an
excellent marksman, had on a couple of occasions saved him from being wounded
or killed.
 
Cash felt fortunate to have
him as a second, watching his back

The two men spent
a great deal of time breaking up fights at the saloon; corralling drunken
cowboys and watching for would-be thieves or dubious men looking for easy
money.
 
He took his position seriously
and the people looked to him for their safety and protection.

John flashed Cash
a cheery smile where he stood near the small iron stove in the corner and
handing him a cup of coffee.
 
“Well,
Cash.
 
How is the street work
coming?”
 

 
“It’s progressing right along.
 
Looks like the ladies won’t have to wade
through the mud holes to do their shopping this winter.”
 
He drank some of the strong, hot liquid while
walking in long confident strides toward the desk on the far side of the
sparsely appointed utilitarian room.

“Have you seen the
new livery since Watts finished the addition?”

John sat near the
desk.
 
“Yes, I have.
 
Who would have thought this town would need
such a massive livery supply?
 
He has
room in there to accommodate a whole herd!
 
I heard Watts has ordered two new buggies.
 
They are due from St.
Louis when the next train arrives.”

Eager to get on
with his work, Cash stood.
 
“Well, John,
why don’t you quit yapping and grab your horse and make rounds?
 
I’ll go over to the store to make sure
everything is going okay.
 
I don’t want
Diane and Mike to come home to a ransacked shop.
 
Old Mr. Mills is getting on in years.
 
I think they need to find someone else to
help out when they are out of town.”
 
He
shifted his low-slung gun belt and stepped over the threshold.

“I agree.
 
I‘ll see you in a couple of hours.
 
I think I’ll go over to the hotel and get
some food when I’m finished.”
 
He ran his
fingers through the thick mass of pale yellow hair, placing his hat on his head
as he smiled at Cash on his way to the door.

***

Cash had dinner at
the hotel in the evening eating heartily on a thick rare steak then decided to
go to the saloon for a beer, maybe two.
 
He ran fingers through his hair before replacing his low-crowned
Stetson, checked his revolver by spinning the chamber then walked to Angie’s
place.
 
Spending a little time with her
would be a nice way to pass the time indeed.

           
He
had met Angie when he returned after two years of venting his anger and
frustration when his wife and newborn son died.
 
The thoughts stayed with him however, eroding any peace he might find,
but he managed to stay with the job, not traveling all over the country looking
for a fight.

As he entered
Angie’s, glances turned in his direction then quickly darted away from his
intense dark stare.
 
He scanned the room
thoroughly, searching for signs of danger while looking directly into each man’s
eyes.
 
Most turned their glances away,
continuing to talk and nurse their drinks.
 

He spotted six
unfamiliar men seated at the poker table in the alcove, with Angie dealing, her
flashy blonde curls falling over smooth bare shoulders exposed by a thin-strapped
clinging dress.
 
On noticing Cash, she
quickly called one of her girls to take her place at the table.
 
She met Cash at the bar where he had ordered
whiskey with a beer chaser.
 

“Hi, handsome.”

His blood ran hot
when she moved toward him, her honey-gold hair hanging over her shoulders in
long curls.
 
The blue eyes enhanced her
smooth alabaster skin.
 
Her hips swished
beneath the bright red dress dropping just below her knees.
 
The black net stockings revealed shapely legs
and she wore red shoes on her tiny feet.
 
The aroma of jasmine radiated around her.
 
He knew of course, lots of other customers
enjoyed her vibrant personality and expertise in bed and many of her regulars
bestowed expensive gifts.