The Visions of Ransom Lake (34 page)

“
He’s poisoned your mind against me, Vaden,” he interrupted. There was anger apparent in his voice. “He’s a violent man, and women are often intrigued by his kind. I understand your infatuation with him, but he won’t have ya, Vaden. He’ll use ya, corrupt ya with his physical dominance, but he won’t have ya, and this infatuation ya have will pass.”

Vaden could only stand in the street next to him, staring up at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about, Jerome?” she asked. She could not believe what he had said—couldn’t believe she had heard him correctly. It was completely uncharacteristic of the man to be so vehement and accusing.

Jerome’s eyes narrowed, and he sneered repulsively for a moment. “Ransom Lake. I know you’re infatuated with him. Do ya think I’m blind? Do ya think his threats to Nathaniel on Halloween kept Nathaniel from tellin’ me, his best friend, what happened to ya at the hand of Ransom Lake that night?”

“
Ransom Lake came for me when I was being tormented beyond your understanding, Jerome,” Vaden stated firmly. “Your best friend, as you refer to him, was the cause of my torment! How dare you side with him?”

“
I can wait. I want ya to know that I am a mature man, an understandin’ man. I can wait. This infatuation with Ransom Lake will pass soon enough, and I’ll be here to pick up the pieces when he breaks your heart.”

Vaden shook her head, frowning at what was being communicated to her. He wouldn’t listen to her if she tried to explain she could never be his. He had created a reason in his mind as to why she hadn’t been his already—and as to why she would eventually belong to him.

“
I know he won’t ever have me, Jerome, that he’d never want me. But you must understand it makes no difference. You and I…we’re too dissimilar. It won’t work. You need someone who’ll—”she began.

“
I’ll wait, Vaden. I’ll wait until ya grow up enough to see what’s before ya.” Then he simply tipped his hat to her and walked away.

Vaden stood in the snow and mud of the street, simply staring after him in disbelief. He always seemed so secure, so sound, and well balanced. But to completely deny, to be so unwilling to accept what she was trying to tell him, it was not normal, and it worried her.

That day seemed longer than any other of her life. Vaden could not tear her mind and thoughts away from wondering over Ransom Lake and his brother. Would Denver be so angry, so hurt over Ransom not telling him he was still alive, that he would not want to see his brother again? Perhaps it would be worse for Ransom now, especially if Denver did not have compassion for his brother’s reasoning. Vaden shook her head, knowing Denver seemed a good man. He was, after all, Ransom Lake’s brother, and it only stood to reason he would have similar traits of personality, understanding being one.

Vaden’s mind was also greatly taxed over Jerome’s reaction earlier in the day when she tried to confront him with the truth of her lack of feelings for him. It was so oddly calm, his denial. It somehow unsettled her nerves. So she tried to endure that day of wondering.

As night turned into another day, she busied herself with working frantically in the store, dusting and straightening, helping customers, and running errands for Myra and Dan. She found herself very fatigued when evening arrived, and the family retired from dinner to the parlor. They sat before the cozy fire listening to Myra and Dan talking about the townsfolk, their aching bones, and stories of when the girls were young. Vaden knew her aunt and uncle suspected something was bothering her, but she was all the more grateful they didn’t ask her about it—didn’t press her for explanations.

The frantic knock on the front door startled them all, and Dan went to see who could possibly be bothering them on such a cold night. When he returned, he held a small wooden box and smiled broadly.

“
It’s for you again, sweet pea,” his deep voice announced as he handed the box to Vaden. “Seems like your secret admirer don’t mind bravin’ the elements.” His eyes twinkled merrily, and Vaden smiled at him, suspicion foremost in her mind.

“
Let’s see,” she began, winking at her uncle, “who could possibly know I’ve been having a rough couple of days?”

“
It’s a mystery,” Dan chuckled, his eyes brighter than ever with delight.

Carefully, Vaden removed the lid from the small box and looked inside. There was a note, scrawled in somewhat illegible script, and she retrieved it, unfolding it gently and reading aloud, “
Remember, the hardened shell protects what’s inside. I’m sorry.
” Frowning, for it seemed an odd thing for Dan to write were he playing the part of secret admirer, Vaden then brushed aside the straw lying beneath the note concealing something deeper in the box. She was not surprised this time when she retrieved from the straw padding another rock. This rock was much larger than the one she had received previously. The crystal formations revealed inside when she turned it over were white and clear with tiny bits of something sparkling radiantly when the firelight caught them.

“
It’s beautiful!” Yvonne exclaimed. “Do you think Jerome is coming to his senses finally, Vay? Is it perhaps an apology for acting so insanely?”

“
Oh, Vonnie!” Vaden exclaimed. “It’s Uncle Dan who’s doing this for me! It’s as plain as the nose on his face.” Vaden stood, went to her uncle, and kissed him sweetly on the cheek.

“
I tell ya again, sweet pea…it’s not me that’s done this,” Dan said.

He seemed in earnest. But it took the beauty of the gift away if she were to believe it was Jerome Clayton who left it. And it was completely inconceivable to think Ransom Lake would do such a thing. So Vaden determined it must be her uncle’s way of trying to cheer her.

Still, as Vaden studied the beautiful marvel of nature by candlelight just before she crawled into bed, her mind began to tax itself again wondering what was transpiring in Ransom Lake’s life. She had trouble sleeping. When slumber did finally find her, her dreams were sad and tormenting.



Vaden’s heart leapt in her bosom as Denver and Ransom Lake entered the mercantile very early the next morning. They were dressed in heavy clothing, and Vaden immediately noticed the expression of peace and joy obvious on both their faces. Her eyes brimmed with tears, for she sensed they had made their peace and were happy in each other. Myra and Dan had left at first light to go out to check on Mrs. Tilits. Vaden and Yvonne were tending the store alone.

“
Good morning to you, lovely ladies,” Denver Lake greeted.

Vaden looked away at once as Ransom Lake’s intense gaze found her.

“
Good morning, Mr. Lake,” Yvonne replied. “What can we do for you this fine winter’s morning?”

Vaden, nervous as she was under Ransom Lake’s gaze, quickly looked to her sister, for her voice was all too pleasant sounding, all too delighted. She found Yvonne’s face was blushing crimson as she looked at Denver.

“
Well…I don’t know about Ransom here,” Denver said, lowering his voice and leaning on the counter in front of Yvonne, “but the best thing you could do for me today, Miss Valmont, would be to hop in the wagon and run down to the preacher’s house with me.” Vaden grinned as Yvonne’s eyes widened with delight. Denver sighed heavily, as if a great disappointment were washing over him. “I suppose it’s always the same story. All the girls around here, including the beautiful Miss Valmont, are probably so in love with ol’ Handsome Ransom, as the girls back home used to call him, that you’ll never see past him to my ugly mug. Is that right, Miss Valmont?”

Vaden’s smile broadened, for it was delightful to see her perfectly proper, always-in-control sister completely undone by the man. Yvonne began to fiddle with the brooch at her collar, looking about as if something would need doing to save her discomfort.

“
I-I…no, sir…I…” Yvonne stammered.

“
Soya don’t think I’m good-lookin’ then, Miss Valmont?” Ransom inquired teasingly, still looking at Vaden. Vaden’s eyes went to him once more, and his gaze mesmerized her. Had her sister and his brother not been standing just next to them, she could not have stopped herself from running to him and throwing herself into the power of his embrace.

“
Oh! No! I think you’re very handsome, Mr. Lake,” Yvonne defended herself to the younger Mr. Lake.

“
You see, brother. You’ve turned this one’s head, and I’ll never have a chance,” Denver chuckled.

Immediately, Yvonne looked back at him. “Oh, no, Mr. Lake! I didn’t mean that at all. You’ve all the chance in the world!” Vaden and Ransom both looked to Yvonne, shocked beyond speaking at her unwitting confession.

Denver raised an eyebrow and reached out, taking Yvonne’s hand in his gloved one. “Well, that’s very, very encouraging, Miss Valmont. Very encouraging.”

“
I mean,” Yvonne stammered, pulling her hand from his grasp. “That is to say, I’m sure that when you find a woman you desire to—”

“
Oh, but I’ve found her, Miss Valmont. I’m looking at her,” Denver interrupted, winking at Yvonne.

Vaden was delighted. Yvonne was completely undone! It was obvious her thoughts were muddled and her heart aflutter.

“
Leave the poor girl alone, Denver,” Ransom chuckled. “We need to be headin’ out.”

“
Heading out?” Vaden finally spoke, for his words frightened her. Was he leaving? Would he be returning to Leadville with his brother?

“
We’re…we’re goin’ out to visit our parents’ graves, Miss Vaden,” he explained. “We’ll be gone two or three days, and I was wonderin’ if you’d ask your Uncle Dan to check on my stock for me.”

“
You’ll be back?” Vaden’s question sounded more desperate than she meant to reveal.

“
Of course we’ll be back!” Denver answered, trying to capture Yvonne’s hand once more. “We live here!”

“
We?” Yvonne whispered.

“
Yes. Denver’s agreed to move out here with me. He says the silver’s all gone in Leadville anyway.” Ransom took several steps toward Vaden, and her heart began to beat ferociously as he approached. “You and I need to have a few words when I return,” he told her in a lowered voice.

“
I’m sorry, Mr. Lake. I’m…I thought it would be best for you, and I only meant to help.” Vaden’s defense of herself caused Ransom Lake to close his eyes for a moment and inhale deeply.

“
I know it, Vaden.” He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek with his gloved hand. His hand grasped her arm firmly, and his strength pulled her against his heavily coated body. “I’m sorry I reacted so bad at first,” he mumbled into her hair.

“
Mr. Lake!” Yvonne exclaimed, taking several steps toward them. “I cannot believe your boldness in taking liberties with my—”Her words were silenced, and Vaden heard Denver’s amused chuckle.

“
You’ve been a good and true friend to me, Vaden Valmont. I’ll never forget that,” he said.

Vaden pushed herself from his arms and looked up at him indignantly. She meant to lash out at him, to tell him that once again he had hurt her deeply by telling her she was only his friend. But when she glanced over and saw Yvonne held tightly against Denver, her back flush with his chest, one of his powerful arms securing her waist and the other hand covering her mouth, she was so astounded she could not speak.

“
So if you’d have your uncle do that for me, Vaden…I’d appreciate it greatly,” Ransom Lake finished. “We’d best be off, Denver…before ya decide to drag that girl off to matrimony before ya have a chance to court her.”

With a deep, amused chuckle escaping his lungs, Denver released Yvonne, who only turned and stood staring at him in awed silence.

“
You’ll be careful?” Vaden called to Ransom Lake as he turned to leave. “You’ll be back?”

“
If the weather gets bad…we’ll just find an old house to shelter in,” he answered, winking at her as he left the store.

“
Miss Vaden,” Denver said, tipping his hat to Vaden. “Mrs. Lake…er…I mean, Miss Valmont,” he chuckled, tipping his hat to Yvonne, who gasped in astonishment.

Vaden felt a sense of panic and tragedy rising within her. She dashed out the door after her heart’s desire.

“
You’ll come back, Ransom, won’t you?” she called to him.

His head turned slowly toward her, and as his intense gray eyes looked at her, she saw him mouth,
Ransom?

Realizing with horror that she had indeed called him by his first name for the very first time, Vaden began to correct herself.

“
I’m sorry. I meant to say Mr.—”

But Ransom Lake was back up the stairs and on the porch before her, having taken her shoulders between his powerful hands before she could finish her apology.

“
Ransom,” he whispered as his eyes wove their bewitching spell about her. Vaden’s body began to tremble from both the cold air in which she stood and from his touch. When he released her, violently removing his right glove an instant before his hand was at her throat, she thought she might not be able to stop herself from throwing her trembling body into his arms. “Ransom,” he repeated again in a whisper as his now bare and very warm hand caressed her throat, his fingers dipping beneath the collar of her blouse. “Ransom,” he whispered a moment before his hand slipped around to the back of her neck, pulling her toward him as his mouth was suddenly hot, moist, and demanding on her own. Vaden’s body melted against his as his deepening, hunger-driven kiss commanded her to meet it. Though it was brief compared with the kisses they’d shared on previous occasions, it was powerful. It left Vaden breathless, weakened, and astonished. Almost as quickly as he had been upon her, he had climbed into the wagon next to Denver and slapped the lines at the backs of the team of horses.