Fate's Intervention (10 page)

“
How can you be so selfish?
”

“
On the contrary
, i
t
was selflessness that convinced me not to tell you.
”

Marcelle merely snorted and returned her gaze to the view outside. Peter smiled. That was the girl he knew, full of spunk.
Well
, if he had to provoke her into a senseless argument that he didn
’
t feel like having, just to see her eyes sparkle and see the color return to her cheeks, then so be it.

“
I do love you, you know,
”
he said impetuously
. He
snickered when his daughter shot a concerned gaze back in his direction.
“
No dear, I
’
m not dying this moment. My deathbed is not the only time, you know, where I can show affection for you.
”

Marcelle
’
s eyes narrowed suspiciously. If he wasn
’
t dying, then why tell her he loved her. He never d
id
so before. It only lent credence to the doctor
’
s prognosis.

“
I was merely trying to explain in as few words as possible the
reasons
behind my
not
telling you.
”

“
Oh, well, I wish I could say it makes me feel better, but the thought of losing you
–
actually losing you,
”
she emphasized,
“
is tearing me apart.
”

“
Oh, dear child,
”
he sighed,
“
do you really think it makes me happy to know that I
’
ll be leaving you? Well, it doesn
’
t. In fact, it
’
s eating away at me. But I don
’
t want that, do you hear?
”
Peter
was suddenly angry with the fates for cutting his life with his daughter short.
“
I don
’
t want for your sadness to be added to my own. That will only eat away at me faster
–
if that makes any sense. What I do want, is for the last months that we have together to reflect happier times, so that when I do finally go, it will be with the memory of your beautiful smile. Can you do that for me?
”

“
I don
’
t honestly know,
Father
, whether I can smile when you
’
re dying. It just doesn
’
t seem right, somehow.
”

“
The
n fake it!
”

“
Father
!
”
Marcelle gasped.

“
You heard me,
”
Peter said sharply.
“
I said to fake it, and I mean just that. If a fake smile is all you can give, then I
’
ll take it, do you hear? It
’
s better than the sour puss face I
’
ve dealt with for these past few days!
”

“
You can be
insufferable
sometimes
; y
ou know that? First you tell me I don
’
t have the right to know, and now you are fairly demanding that I behave
conversely
to my actual feelings,
”
Marcelle said.

“
Maybe I am, but I simply can
’
t handle the pressure of my illness and your sadness,
”
Peter said softly.
“
I know it isn
’
t fair, but promise to try to maintain a happy front for your old man. I need your laughter to sustain what time I have left.
”

“
It isn
’
t fair, but I
’
ll try,
”
Marcelle conceded finally.
“
I don
’
t want to lose you any faster than I
’
m going to already.
”

“
Good. Now, chin up,
”
Peter said,
shifting
to a straighter position in the seat.
“
I don
’
t want you milling about acting as if my funeral will be tomorrow. We
’
ll make our remaining time together full of joy and laughter.
”

“
The
n can we forget finding a husband?
”

Peter did laugh then,
“
No,
”
he said simply, patting his daughter
’
s knee.
“
That
’
s
still a high
priority.
”

“
Splendid
,
”
Marcelle muttered under her breath, but her mood did feel lighter than it had in recent days. Perhaps if she carried on as before, it
would b
oost her
father
’
s health
–
or send
him to an early grave
. S
he smiled grimly.

“
Matthew, rein in,
”
Stanharbor said.
“
I
’
d like you to ride with me for a short spell. Have something I
’
d like to discuss with you.
”

“
Yes, Mr. Stanharbor,
”
Matthew said. He pulled on White Star
’
s reins and guided the stallion toward
Adam
.
“
Can you hold his reins until I mount back up,
Adam
?
”

“
That
horse ain
’
t going to be yanking me from
atop
my seat, is he?
”

“
Hardly. He
’
s as tame as a kitten, now that his training is complete.
”

“
Kitten, huh? Well, I
’
ve seen kittens sprout sharp claws and start spitting something awful when spooked.
”

“
The
n I suggest you don
’
t let anything spook White Star because he may react the same way,
”
Matthew said, smiling.

“
Great. His hoofs start sprouting claws and I
’
ll shoot the devil.
”

Matthew laughed. He patted White Star
’
s muzzle, then turned the reins over to
Adam
.
“
Behave for
Adam
, will ya, boy?
”

The horse whinnied in reply, bobbing his head.

“
That
better mean yes,
”
Adam
grumbled.

Matthew alighted as
Adam
pulled the carriage slowly to a crawl.
“
You sound as if you
’
re afraid of horses,
Adam
, but you drive a team of them nearly every day,
”
Matthew observed, walking beside the carriage a moment more.

“
You want tame? These six beasts are
tame
‘
cause they
so old that they about ready for the glue factory.
Ain
’
t nothing can spook
‘
em
‘
cause
they already
be
half blind and
mostly
deaf. That beast you
be
riding on
be a whole other matter. He be
the biggest doggone creature I ever
done
seen and nothing that big
can
possibly be easy to control.
”

“
I
’
ve been doing okay, or haven
’
t you been watching?
”
Matthew countered, trying not to laugh at his friend
’
s discomfiture.

“
You just plain lucky is all. I
’
m telling you, it
’
s just a matter of time before that monster unseats you and then sits on you.
”

“
A
re
you coming, Matthew?
”
Stanharbor said, leaning out the window.
“
I need you to help
Elizabeth
alight and mount her own horse.
”

Matthew shuddered at the thought of touching the girl, but he wouldn
’
t be able to refuse without appearing
to lack chivalry.

“
Yes, Mr. Stanharbor,
”
He said, opening the door.
“
Would you like
Adam
to stop altogether?
”

“
No, I
’
m sure
Elizabeth
can manage with your help. We
’
re barely moving, after all.
”

“
Miss Elizabeth,
”
Matthew said. When she appeared in the doorway, he extended a hand and tried not to react when she placed her hand in his. She blushed and made to step down, but her foot caught in her skirt and she tumbled straight into his arms. He had no choice but to catch her, but he did have a choice about how long she remained in his embrace. He set her aside with alacrity, moving away just as quickly.

The stable hand, seeing his mistress alight, trotted over, leading Elizabeth
’
s mare behind.

“
Will you see Miss Elizabeth mounted,
Aa
ron?
”
Matthew asked. He could not b
ear
the thought of touching her again. He
’
d seen in her eyes that the little imbalanced tripping maneuver was an act to get him to hold her and didn
’
t doubt she would tumble over the top of the horse if it meant him holding her again.

“
I
’
d
rather
you
assisted me
.
”

“
I
’
ve kept your
father
waiting long enough, Miss,
”
Matthew interrupted.
“
A
aron?
”

“
Yes, sir.
”

Matthew turned away before Elizabeth could protest further,
trotting along
to the carriage, still
moving
along slowly. He pulled himself aboard and settled on to the seat opposite his boss. Even in the roomy interior, Stanharbor
’
s bulk was suffocating, and Matthew hoped the conversation would be a short one.

“
Why isn
’
t your daughter riding with us, sir?
”
Matthew asked politely. In reality, he was relieved that she
’
d decided to ride
her mount, for his feeling of suffocation would increase were
he forced to ride with both Stanharbors
. Still, if she tattled on him, wouldn
’
t she want to remain present to see him properly chastised for it?

“
She
’
ll
ride her mare for a bit while I have a chat with you, then she can join me again if she chooses.
”

Matthew hoped
it wasn
’
t the talk he thought it was going to be
. He may not be fond of his boss and the boss
’
s daughter, but he was very fond of
employment,
and of Wyoming. He certainly didn
’
t want
Stanharbor to force him from either
as
had happened in
the past because he hurt some snot
-
nosed brat
’
s feelings.