Rocky Mountain Sister (3 page)

CHAPTER FIVE

Bright and early the next morning Cassandra was up and ready before Rosa got out of bed. She had tried on the new dress the night before and couldn’t believe how comfortable she was. She was going to buy some more dresses but now she would not have time. She was sure there would be a mercantile in Forest Heights where she could pick up a few more things. The riding boots she bought for her and Rosa would be perfect for the trip. Much sturdier than the ones she had.

Cassandra couldn’t believe how much more sensible people were in the West. They didn’t dress for looks, she liked that idea.

Rosa woke to Cassandra packing the few things she had unpacked. “How long have you been up girl, did you sleep at all? You are dressed and ready to go. You shouldn’t have yourself thinking that this is the right family.”

“Rosa, I feel it, I just feel something inside that tells me this is right, I am so excited. Come on, get up and get ready so we can be on our way. Mr. Delaney will soon be ready, I am sure. We can’t make him wait.” Cassandra finished getting her things ready. They were not taking everything, only a few things for a couple days.

Both women were ready to leave by seven a.m. Delaney walked through the door of the hotel dining room when the ladies were just finishing up their breakfast.

“I bought a buckboard for you ladies to travel in. I didn’t think we needed a wagon. I am not taking everything. Just enough for a couple days. You ladies all packed?” Delaney sat down at the table and ordered a cup of coffee.

Rosa looked at Mr. Delaney with a scornful look. “We have been ready for hour. Cassandra had us up hours ago, I can’t believe she didn’t go get you to leave in the middle of the night.”

Delaney gave a laugh, “We can be on our way as soon as I finish this coffee.”

“I don’t think I slept a wink last night.” Cassandra’s excitement showed all over her face.

Three hours later they stopped for lunch. Cassandra looked around the area. She had been a lot of places. Nothing was like the Mountains. The peace of the valley below them calmed Cassandra’s excitement for the moment.

“Rosa, I wished Christian was here with us, he would enjoy the scenery. He never takes time to stop and enjoy things,” Cassandra said as she looked about her. The clouds rolled over the sky casting shadows among the valley. Cassandra felt at home here.

“Cassandra, your brother has done many things and seen many places. He has talked of the mountains. These very mountains, he would love to be here with you if he could.”

To soon it was time to pack up their lunch and travel the road again. Cassandra and Rosa passed the time by talking of things around them. Cassandra hoped that if this was where she came from, maybe something she saw would bring her memory back. So far nothing looked familiar.

Forest Heights came into view. Cassandra stopped the team of horses pulling the buckboard. The place didn’t look anything like she thought it would. Buildings stood around in various places. It looked like the buildings were falling down. At least most of them. There were a few nice houses.

“Mr. Delaney, are you sure we are in the place, I can’t believe how run down this town looks.

“I am not for sure Cassandra, I can ride ahead and check it out. It doesn’t look like a safe place for you ladies.” Delaney got off his horse, took off his hat and rubbed his head. “Why don’t you ladies take a break and stretch your legs, rest in the shade while I go down and see if we are in Forest Heights.”

Both ladies watched Mr. Delaney ride back up road from the place they hoped was not Forest Heights. The look on his face told them otherwise.

Thomas got off his horse and walked over to Rosa and Cassandra. “Ladies, sorry to tell you, we found it. This is Forest Heights.” The frown on both ladies faces, he knew that Cassandra had never witness such shambles before. He kind of hoped this was not where Cassandra came from.

Riding through town, the place looked better than from a distance. Some of the houses looked quite beautiful. Cassandra couldn’t figure out why someone would build such a beautiful home amongst the shambles of the town. The only thing she figured was that they were hoping to build the town up.

CHAPTER SIX

After settling in at the boarding house, which was a beautiful house, Rosa, Cassandra, and Mrs. Edna Middleton, the owner of the boarding house, sat down over tea and talked a little. Mrs. Middleton had only taken over the house a couple months back. She didn’t know very many people around the area. Cassandra didn’t ask very many questions to the older woman since she didn’t know anyone.

Around the middle of the afternoon, two rambunctious boys charge through the back door. Both stopped short after seeing the guest. “Hello,” Both boys said in unison. Mrs. Middleton gave them milk and cookies and introduced them to Rosa and Cassandra. “Boys, these ladies will be our guest for a short while. I expect your best behavior.” Mrs. Middleton said harshly to the children.

“Yes ma’am.”

“I am sure they will going be good,” Cassandra said with a smile. “Young boys are always into something though, I have an older brother who couldn’t stay out of trouble.”

They ate their cookies and drank their milk, then began questioning Cassandra.

Jefferson, the oldest boy, who was 12, looked at Cassandra and asked her, “Do you like to fish ma’am? Jacob and me know a real good place to fish.”

“Jacob and I,” his mother corrected him.

“I have never been fishing Jefferson, “Cassandra said with a smile.

“Never been fishing? Why not?” Jacob asked after wiping the milk off his mouth.

“Well, I live in the city, we live on the Missouri River and my father never allowed me to go near the water.”

“Boys, we have chores to do, you best go on outside and get to it. I have to get supper started.” Mrs. Middleton told her boys. The boys got up and immediately obeyed their mother.

Rosa was bored and offered to help with the cooking. She wasn’t used to just sitting around doing nothing. Cassandra chose to lie down for a bit before they ate. Hoping that Mr. Delaney would return soon with some kind of news.

Early the next morning, Cassandra woke to the smell of breakfast cooking. Not really hungry from the huge meal the night before, she still hurried to dress and go down stairs. She wanted to be comfortable, the weather seemed warm this morning. She chose the brown dress she had bought in Denver to wear for the day.

“Good morning everyone, I am so sorry I am late.” Cassandra sat down at the table and poured herself a cup of coffee.

“Don’t worry dear, we haven’t eaten yet, the boys are collecting the eggs now. Sometimes we don’t realize how tired we get travelling.” Mrs. Middleton smiled as she sat the stack of pancakes on the table.

Jefferson and Jacob came rushing through the again, only this time they had a wet, sloppy friend with them. Robber the family dog they somehow inherited on their way to Forest Heights, came running in and on landed on Cassandra’s lap.

“Well, good morning, you sure are a greeting this morning.” Cassandra laughed as she pet the wet, muddy dog. “Looks like you have been out running somewhere.”

Mrs. Middleton yelled at Jefferson to get the mangy mutt back outside.

The room got quiet, everyone looked at Cassandra and Robber with amazement. The dog was sitting at Cassandra’s feet being good.

“Ma, look, she is minding her manners,” Jacob said with a laugh.

“Now how did you get her to sit down and be good?” Mrs. Middleton asked her.

“Cassandra has always had a way with animals.” Rosa spoke up.

“I wouldn’t mind having her in the house. If you could teach her some manners, I will let the boys keep her inside. Gets kind of scary sometimes. She would be a good watch dog.” Mrs. Middleton finished putting the food on the table. She had already explained that her husband was killed 6 months back and she was left to raise the boys alone.

After breakfast, Cassandra had to change into another dress, the dress she had on was smothered in mud. Cassandra didn’t mind the wet muddy mess. It was the fact that now she would have to wear one of the dresses from back east. She didn’t want to wear one, seemed out of place and she would feel overdressed. She had no choice, she had only purchased two dresses at the mercantile in Denver and now both were dirty.

She looked in the mirror, the blue dress she chose was the one of the less frilly ones. She felt over dressed for these parts of the country. She would just have to drag Rosa down to the little store here and see if they had any dresses.

Cassandra stood at the rack of dresses in the store. They only had one dress that would fit her. Just a hand spun brown with nothing on it.
Oh well, this will have to due until the others are cleaned.
Cassandra thought to herself.

They finished their shopping and was standing at the counter paying for their purchases when the bell on the door rang. Cassandra took her change from the older lady behind the counter turned around. She faced a young man who was staring at her.

The young man wasn’t much older than her. At least she didn’t think he looked older. He just stared at her like he wanted to say something.

Cassandra and Rosa said hello and passed by the young man. She could feel his stare upon her as they walked away. There was a man standing behind him who Cassandra just noticed.

When he turned around their eyes met. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She knew it wasn’t lady like to stare, but she couldn’t seem to turn away. He had dark brown hair and facial features that were beautiful. He must spend a lot of time in the sun she thought. His brown skin enhanced his good looks.

Jessie Harper turned around to talk to his friend when he met the eyes of the young lady. He couldn’t turn away.

“Cassandra Vandevier, your mother is probably turning in her grave. Why you staring like that.” Rosa pulled on her arm and toward the door. “Goodness girl, what is wrong with you?”

“I don’t know Rosa, he seemed to have me in a trance. I ‘m sorry for embarrassing you” Cassandra told Rosa apologetically.

Cassandra and Rosa turned around to the sound of the door slamming behind them. They saw the younger of the two men, run down the steps and off in the other direction as fast as he could. Both women just looked at each other then continued to the boarding house.

Cassandra changed into the brown plain dress when they got back to the boarding house. Edna, who insisted they call her by her given name, had made tea and a cake while they were gone.

Sitting on the back porch, Cassandra looked out among the mountains. They were so beautiful, just sitting and looking at them. She wondered where Mr. Delaney was. He came in late the night before and left early this morning. Cassandra watched the clouds roll over the sky. She felt at home here for some reason. She was at peace, she just wished she could explain the odd behavior of the two men at the store.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Anybody home?”

Cassandra heard Delaney’s voice and jumped up from the chair. Running into the house to hear if he had any news, she ran into Edna. “I am so sorry Edna”. I didn’t mean to rush.

Delaney was walking down the hall to the kitchen. He entered the doorway and stopped.

Cassandra froze in her steps. Beside Mr. Delaney stood herself. A perfect match. The young woman who stood beside him was Cassandra’s exact twin.

The room stood quiet for a few minutes. Rosa and Edna stood with amazed faces at the girls.

“Cassie, oh Cassie,” The girl came over to her and gave her a hug. She stepped back and looked Cassandra up and down. “It’s really you. You are here. You have found us. Oh Cassie, I can’t believe it.”

Cassandra felt the tears roll down her cheeks. This was definitely her sister. She didn’t remember her, but there was no denying the fact that they were related. She felt terrible she didn’t know anything about her family, but there would be plenty of time to learn.

Cassandra hugged her sister again. They stood embraced for a while without saying a word.

Rosa made coffee and got the girls to sit down at the table. Makenzie Greenwood had a million questions and it seemed she was trying to ask them all at once. Cassandra had to explain to her that she lost all memory of the first eight years of her life. Her adopted parents let her pick her own name. She liked Cassandra, her adopted mother let her keep the name.

“But Cassie, Cassandra is your name. We are identical twins as you can see, my name is Makenzie. Our pa liked the way they sounded so ma said okay. I wish you could remember something.” Kenzie took a drink of coffee, dabbed her face with her napkin, then laid the napkin on the table.

“That is so odd that I would pick the same name,” Cassandra said. “Maybe things are just blocked, maybe something will trigger my memory.”

“You will come to the ranch with me, won’t you?” Kenzie asked Cassie with the most pleading look. “Maybe the house or the ranch will help. I know everything is going to be scary and you don’t know Nathan and me, but I am so happy to have you back. Nathan is going to be so surprised.” Kenzie poured another cup of coffee and then took a bite of cake. “Nathan will be gone for another day or two, he had to be out on the range. We have had some trouble. He is married and Elizabeth is due to have the baby any day now. Grandma is with her now, I would really like to not be gone very long. This is their first child.”

The rest of the afternoon, everyone had a joyful visit. Cassandra and Kenzie went for a walk. They wanted to be alone for a while. Cassandra wanted to know about her parents and her brother. Kenzie told her about Nathan first. He was five years older than they were. Kenzie hadn’t mentioned her parents yet and Cassandra wandered if they were still alive.

While they were out walking, Makenzie told Cassandra more about their brother, Nathan, and his wife, Elizabeth and their grandmother.

“They are hoping for a boy, they have picked out the name Joseph. They haven’t really given much thought about any girl’s name. They have a few picked out, but Elizabeth wanted to name the baby after you. I think they settled on Cassie if the baby is a girl.”