For whatever reason, that conversation had seemed to ease some of the tension between them so that they’d been able to talk a little more freely about how the past months had been for each of them and their families. He’d caught her up on where everyone in his family was—most of them out east, except thatJameson, one of his favorite brothers, had left home and they didn’t know where he’d gone.
Their talking hadn’t been as natural and easy as during the days when they’d been courting, but it had reminded her of how much she’d liked conversing with him.
She sensed he’d called a truce between them—at least while they were at the cabin. And she was willing to take whatever peace he was offering.
Unfortunately, Hyacinth didn’t have the same mindset.
Violet pushed her plate back. “I’ve eaten all that I can.”
Hyacinth shifted and took in the food still on Violet’s plate. “No, you need to finish.”
“You can have it. Or Sterling can.” She knew for a fact that Sterling hadn’t eaten his fill. He’d counted the cans earlier and taken inventory of what they had. She had no doubt he was rationing everything just in case they had to stay at the cabin longer.
Hyacinth fisted both hands on her hips. “You’ve hardly eaten all day, Vi.”
“I agree,” Sterling said without pausing in his repetitive whittling.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion.” Hyacinth’s voice dripped with venom. “So I would appreciate you not adding it.”
Sterling’s back stiffened, and his knife on the wood came to an abrupt halt.
“Hyacinth,” Violet scolded. “You’re being rude.”
She sniffed. “I don’t care.”
Sterling finally lifted his head and looked directly at Hyacinth. “Go ahead. Say it.”
“Say what?”
“Whatever is bothering you.”
With her green eyes flashing, Hyacinth pressed her lips together. She was loyal almost to a fault with the people sheloved, and she’d somehow twisted the failed wedding around to make it Sterling’s fault, blaming him for all that had happened.
“Hyacinth, please don’t.” Violet didn’t want her sister dragging out the old hurts.
“Tell me, Hyacinth.” Sterling’s tone turned hard, as did his gaze. “What did I do to earn your contempt?”
Violet shook her head at her sister, silently pleading with her to let the matter drop.
Hyacinth sighed, then turned back around to the pot of soapy water on the stovetop.
Sterling didn’t resume his whittling. Instead, he stood and propped the piece of wood against the cabin wall.
In the next instant, Hyacinth spun back around, her fingers dripping and her eyes blazing. “You’re a selfish coward, Sterling.”
He froze.
Violet grew motionless too. With the silence hanging thickly in the air, Violet had to say something. She shifted to face Sterling. “Hyacinth doesn’t mean it—”
“I do mean it, Vi. You know how I feel. Sterling only thought of himself with the wedding and didn’t consider your needs at all.”
Violet’s chest tightened. “Please, Hyacinth. Don’t.” She didn’t want to lose the ground she’d made with Sterling—even as small as it was. Hyacinth spewing her feelings would not only cause a loss of ground; it would also erect a mountain between them.
Hyacinth, though, was focused on Sterling, had locked angry gazes with him. They were like two elk about to charge at each other. “What I don’t understand, Sterling, is if you loved my sister the way you claimed, then why did you let her go without fighting for her?”
“I rode into town and tried to talk to Violet.” Sterling’s voice was calm but icy. “I even wrote to her. But she refused to see me or respond to my letters.”
Hyacinth huffed. “A visit and letters? You call that fighting for her?”
