Chauncey grinned. “Well, that makes one of us, at least.”
As he moved aside, the woman moved forward. “Ms. Charming. I’ve heard a lot about you from Miss Erindelle.”
The lady’s lips twitched. “And I, you, Mr. Cade. With any luck, this nasty business will soon be over and we will have a chance to chat. Such as talking about what your intentions are toward Elise.”
“Grannie!” Elise breathed in astonishment, her face turning a becoming shade of pink. She instantly turned pleading eyes toward him, where he offered her a wink of reassurance in return.
He found that he liked Elise’s “Grannie” very much as he replied, “I would be more than happy to call upon you at the earliest convenience, Ms. Charming.”
Grannie nodded her head in approval as Mr. Grimm moved forward.“If you don’t mind, Mr. Cade,”the attorneynoted, bringing Chauncey’s attention back to him. “I’d like to hear the story of what happened from your point of view.”
“Of course. Whatever you need to know.” He hated to keep traversing this dark path of his memory, but he would dowhatever it tookif it meant he could be with Elise. She had saved him from the depths of his own despair.He intended to return the favor, even though she might try to be strong and pretend that she was fine on her own, he’d saw the expression of longing on her face when she’dtouchedher mother’s love tokens and when he talked of his life in Canada with Martha and Thomas.
After a lifetime of loneliness, Elise deserved a chance at happiness and although he wasn’t sure he was the right man for the job, he vowed that no matter what occurred, he would love her for the rest of her days. She had filled a gaping wound in his chest and for that he would be forever grateful.
“We’ll leave you to chat with Mr. Grimm,” Grannie announced. “Come along, Elise. We will return to check on you tomorrow, Mr. Cade.”
Chauncey could tell Elise hesitated, so he said, “I’ll be fine.Besides,I’m not sure I want you to hear all the gruesome details of that day.”
She sighed. “Very well.” She paused and walked over to him and took his hand.Somethingwas pressedinto his palm. “Until tomorrow, Mr. Cade.”
It wasn’t until she walked out the door that he finally opened his hand to see what she’d left behind. His throat instantly tightened, for it was one of her mother’s love tokens. In that moment he knew what she hadn’t told him. She had shown her affection by this simple gesture.
Mr. Grimm dragged over a chair from near the sheriff’s desk. Chauncey hadseenthe lawmanonlysporadically during the day, as he was generally out on his rounds, making sure that order was kept in Charming. At least he’d kept Chauncey fed, so he couldn’t complain.
As the attorney withdrew a tablet and pencil from inside his coat pocket, he said, “I’m ready when you are, Mr. Cade.”
With the picture of Elise in his mind, Chauncey began to speak.
***
To keep herself busy while she waited for word from Mr. Grimm, Elise decided to assist Samsonat the saloon since Grannie had things well in hand at the inn.But then, she was a feisty lady who ran her business with all the gusto that Elise had expected from her.
Elisewasn’t much for serving beverages, but shedidher part by cleaning the glasses and replenishing his supply as the crowd began to gather around the gaming tables.Samson’swifeworked at the bank during the day, but by the evening, sheentertainedthe guestsby playing a few songs on the piano.
Most of the patrons kept the peace, gaming and enjoyingthe merriment with little to no trouble. However, every once in a while there would be a group of rowdy troublemakers who passed through who liked to cause a ruckus. Unfortunately, as Elise spied a group of three men in a shadowed corner of the room, she had a feeling this might be one of those instances.
Concerned, she caught Samson during a break in the activity. “Do you know those men?” She gestured toward the table in question where a man with a grizzled gray beard was starting to raise his voice in apparent anger. His companions looked equally severe, both large men, one of whom had a wicked looking scar that ran across the side of his face.
“Those are the gents from Canada here to take your Mr. Cade back to Rupert’s Land,” Samson returned with a frown. “I’d steer clear of their ilk. I got a bad feeling about them the moment they walked in the door.”
Elise didn’t like the sound of that, but she was careful to heed Samson’s warning. He’d lived among gamblers, cattle rustlers, and gunfighters most of his life. He’d started out up north in Deadwood, but decided he’d had enough and left in search of somewhere a bit more tame. When hehadarrived in Charming nearly five years ago, he’d decided to stay. He’d been a great help to Grannieat the innever since,and keptorderat the saloon when needed,tending the bar with a calm authority that few ever questioned.
Until today.
Elise saw the man with the grizzled beard stand up and sway slightly as he walked towardthem.He almost collapsed against the wood, as he demanded, “Another bottle of whisky.”
Samson calmly set his hands on the bar and said, “I think you’ve reached your limit.”
His face instantly reddened with growing rage. He reached across the expanse and grasped Samson’s lapels, putting his face close to his. “Don’t you tellmewhen I’ve had enough. Your place is to serve—”
“Then I’ll say it.”
Elise turned to find a man in a heavy coat facing off with the disgruntled man, giving proof that he’d justarrivedfrom outside. “Why don’t you go to your room and sleep it off, Dwarfton?”
“Mind your own business, Spadely,” he snarled in return, effectively turning his back on the other man. “This doesn’t concern you. In fact, I don’t know what you’re still doing here if your purpose in coming here was to be a traitor to the Crown.”
The man called Spadely snorted and crossed his arms. “I’m a traitor because I won’t condonesendingan innocent man to his death when you and I both know that Arandine got what he deserved?”
