He slowly shook his head. “We were never anything more than passing acquaintances.”
As he brushed past her and started to gather his things into his pack, her lungs froze. “What are you doing?”
“Leaving.”
Panic rushed through her. “What? No, you can’t!” She rushed forward and grabbed his arm in a plea to listen to reason. “It’s too dangerous! You’ll surely be captured if you leave now.” She paused, hoping that she might have gotten through to him, but while he’d hesitated as she spoke, she saw the resolute set of his jaw. “Please. Just stay a few more days.”
“No.”
Elise didn’t know what else to say. In the end, she didn’t have any other choice but to step back and watch him prepare to leave. Her chest was tight, her eyes welling with tears when she asked, “Where will you go?”
“I intend to stick with my original plan and head west to California.”
Beau must have realized that his master was intending to leave, for hegot upfrom his favorite spot near the fire and lumbered over to him. Elise watched as Mr. Cade paused and bent down to scratch the dog fondly behind the ears. “You’re going to have to stay here, boy,” he said softly. “This is one journey that you don’t have to embark on. It’s time for us to part ways.” Hestood. “I hope it’sallrightif I leave Beau here with you.”
So many implications were in that statement, and Elise nodded, for there was truly no other option. “Of course. I’ll be glad to take care of him.” She hesitated and then reached out to give him an impulsive hug. “Goodbye, Mr. Cade. Be safe. We expect you to come and visit us again soon.”
Instead of assuring her that he would, he withdrew long enough to bend his head and brush her lips with his. His neatly trimmed beard tickled her cheek as he pulled back. “I’ll never forget you, Elise.”
A single tear trailed down her cheek, but he gently wiped it away with the pad of his thumb. He turned on his heel and donned his bearskin coat—and walked out the door.
And out of her life.
***
Chauncey had criedjustone time in his life, and that was when he’dfound out his wife and son had been gunned down in cold blood. The grief of their loss had sent shameless tears coursing down his face. Now, as the distance between him and that small cabin in the woods began to lengthen, he could feel the same emotion starting to rise within his chest.It threatened to choke him, to send him rushing back through the snow to return to Miss Erindelle’s side, but it was the thought of her safety that kept him trudging forward.
He clenched his jaw so hard he imagined that it might crack from the force. He wouldn’t risk the chance that she could be used as a weapon against him, and he certainly couldn’t survive with another death on his conscience.
Chauncey drew his bearskin tighter around him. Dusk was already starting to fall and the temperature in the woods was dropping fast. The snow that had been their constant companion had finally ceased, but in areas, the powdery white drifts were so deep that they topped his moccasins. If it wasn’t for his leather buckskins as protection against the elements, he would find himself succumbing to frostbite. As it was, he was tempting fate.The wolves and bearswould start to move inas he traipsed across the winter landscape, his every movement illuminated by moonlightif he didn’t find shelter soon.
Besides, this wasn’t the first time he’d been forced to make due with a patch of pine needles for a bed. Nor did he doubt it would be the last.
After a time, Chauncey came across a small, abandoned cave in the cliffs near a narrow stream. The small trickle of water that wasn’t frozen over was a soothing rhythm as he inspected his possible lodgings. It looked abandoned, anditdidn’t appear that anything might be hibernatingtherefor the winter. That was definitely good news as he satandtried to keep his teeth from chattering and set about finding a few fallen branches to make a small fire. Not big enough where it gave away his location, but enough where he wouldn’t freeze to death.
His breath left his lips in a cloud ofwhiteas he worked to rub the sticks together, but at long last there was a welcoming spark of orange. He sighed in grateful relief as the pile of sticks smoldered and began to burn.He sat down and drew on the heat for a time, and then settled back, prepared to spend the right of the long night in a restless slumber.
As he closed his eyes, he realized that if he survived until morning, it would be a miracle.
***
Elise skipped dinner that night. She was entirely too maudlin to eat anything. Her stomach was churning with worry over Mr. Cade. Beau appeared equally concerned,for he had stayed by her side most of the evening, looking at her with those wide, brown eyes, expressing his sorrow in a whimper now and then.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed a few more tears to fall. “I miss him too,boy,” she whispered.
If someone had told herthis same scenario,that she would fall for a stranger in the span of a week,she would have told them they were crazy.As it was, after years of protecting herheartfrom the hurt and pain she’d endured for being different, she was in serious danger of allowing it to engage now. But as Mr. Cade had told her, the consequences of loving him would be drastic, for he was a drifter, on the run from the law. He’d had a family once, andtheir losshad nearly destroyed him. She didn’t think he would be eager to return to the same life andwait for it tocrumbleall overagain.
No, this was for all for the best. For both of them. Elise didn’t want to feel the anguish of a broken heart, and she certainly didn’t wish morepain forhim.
With this new resolve in place, she got to her feet and headed for her bedroom. Tomorrow was a new day and with it came the promise of new beginnings. Although her current situation looked rather bleak now without Mr. Cade in it, she vowed that she would push him out of her mind. He had only been here for one week. She’d lived alone for the past two years. She would simply pick up where she’d left off before his arrival and put his memory down as one of charity for her fellow man.
Shepaused at the threshold of her room and glanced back atBeauwith a smile.He was still looking after her with those large, brown eyes, so she sighed and said, “Well, what are you waiting for?”
The hound happily loped forward, his tongue hanging to the side. She stepped asideso he couldenter herroomand laughed when he jumped right into the middle of her bed. She crossed her arms and lifted a brow. “You’re going to have to move over,” she scolded lightly.
The dog replied by putting his paws in the air and rubbing his back against the quilt in happy delight.
Elise rolled her eyes as she changed into her nightdress. But although she went to sleep with a grin on her face at the grunt of delight that emanated from the hound, she couldn’t help but wonder about Mr. Cade, and if he had somewhere warm to sleep that night.
