In a way.
As soon as the two women were settled with lemonade, Candice saw Millie Henderson staring at her hands. And she flushed because she obviously lacked a wedding ring.
“We came to offer our regrets,” Millie said. “We hear poor Virgil Kincaid was killed.”
“Yes.”
“Such a tragedy, and right after your wedding,” Millie continued.
Candice wished she wasn’t so red. “Yes.”
“You’re not wearing a ring.”
Her color went crimson. “I know you’ve probably already heard the story, Millie. It fell off, when I almost died in the desert.”
“Eloping like that,” Millie said. “If Elizabeth ever did that my husband would tan her good.”
Candice squirmed. Both women had been staring incessantly. Now Elizabeth spoke. “Is he still here?” Her eyes were wide. Her voice was wispy soft.
Candice’s heart started a slow thud. “Who?”
Millie interjected. “Why, theIndian, of course.”
A silence fell. Candice broke it with a breath. “Oh, you mean the man who saved my life—Jack Savage is the name he goes by. Yes, he is.”
Another silence.
“So it’s true,” Millie said. “You left here with Kincaid and came back with a half-breed Apache.”
Candice gripped the arms of her chair. “Not quite—”
“Kincaid not a week in his grave, and you snowed up here on the breed’s horse.”
Candice stood. “If you’re here to accuse me of something, then you can just leave.”
“Why, Candice Carter,” Millie cried, standing also. “Excuse me—Candice Kincaid. It isKincaid, isn’t it?”
Candice flushed.
“Dear girl, we didn’t come to accuse you, we came to offer our sincere sympathies. My God, to think of what you had to endure, alone with that … that …” She shuddered.
Candice stood very still.
Elizabeth turned wide, fascinated eyes on her. “Did he … did he … hurt you?”
“He saved my life,” Candice said stiffly. “Now, ladies, if you’ll excuse me, I have a terrible headache.”
“Of course,” Millie said graciously. “But, Candice, you can tell us. I mean, you look remarkably well. But—you must need to share such a horrible experience with other women. Otherwhitewomen.”
“There’s nothing to share.”
Millie put her arm around her. “I don’t know how you can be so stoic. If it were me, I’d kill myself.”
Candice wrenched free. “You have a sick mind. Sick. He never touched me.”
Millie and Elizabeth both turned pitying, disbelieving glances on her.
“If he had touched me, do you think he’d still be alive?” Candice said too shrilly. “Still alive and on this ranch?”
