She glanced away to catch her breath. Once she’d set the pan of water on the fire to heat, and put a rag and bar of soap on the table, she was glad to see that he’d moved to stand by the window. While he was still an impressive sight to behold, at least she could breathe easier without feeling as though he were looming over her.
“It’s still coming down pretty good out there,” he noted.
“Texas storms are known to be ruthless, especially in the mountains,” she returned. Then, without anything else to say, she murmured, “Goodnight then, Mr. Cade.”
He didn’t turn around. “Goodnight, Miss Erindelle.”
Chapter Three
Chauncey expelled a heavy breath, releasing the tightness that had gathered in hischest.He looked toward the closed door that his unwilling hostess had disappeared through and set his hands on his hips, glancing toward the ceiling. She had made it abundantly clear that his presence wasn’t welcome beyond this evening, and yet, something about her called to a part of him that he’d thought was dead and buried long ago.
Without warning, his heart had begun to beat again. Until he could figure out why, hewas rather reluctant toventure too far from her side.
He glanced towardthebar of soap that she’d set out for his use and scratched his scraggly beard. Perhaps if hefreshened his appearance a bit more, she might be inclined to let him stay a bit longer.
He walked over to the sofa and removed his bearskin coatand wool capote. Hisknee-length moccasins were next, and as he set them beside Miss Erindelle’s bootsnear the front door,he smiled when they easily dwarfed her dainty, lace-up ones.
Hepaused andswallowed hard. How long had it been since he’d beheld such aremarkablesight?
Clad intan buckskins,a whitelinen shirt,and beaded belt that had been a gift from his last fort trade, he withdrew the knife he kept tucked into a sheath in the back of his trousers and crouched down by the fire. Using the silver reflection from the wash pan as a crude mirror, he realized that not only had his beard grown several inchessince he’d left Canada andthe Red River Colony, but his hair had also gotten a bit unruly.
With Beau at his side looking on, he lifted his knife to his chin.
A sharp gasp sounded behind him and he shifted his gaze to see Miss Erindelle standing in the doorway of her room, still fully dressed. Even from this distance, he could tell that her eyes were wide and her skin had paled to match the color of her hair.
Realizing he still held the knife up, he slowly lowered it,as if he was confronted with a skittish deer, but then, he didn’t wish to frighten her further. “Did you need somethingelse, ma’am?”
“No…I…” She stammered, and then turned and fled, shutting the door firmly behind her.
Chauncey hung his head with a long-suffering sigh and lifted the blade once more.
***
Elise leaned against the door to her room with a hand over her pounding heart. She had only meant to tell Mr. Cade where the extra chamber pot was so that he didn’t have to trudge out in the weather to use the outhouse behind the cabin, but when she’d spied that knife near his throat—
She closed her eyes, attempting to blot out the alarming sight. It had been over a year since she’d been in danger, and yet, the memory of that afternoon still haunted her. A pair of Confederate bounty jumpers had surprised her when she’d been on her way home from the village early that summer. They had been a gangly sight in their worn gray uniforms. The stench of body odor had nearly gagged her, as one of them had pulled her off the seat and held a knife to her neck. He’dthreatened the vilest things and for the first time since her mother’s death, shehadactuallybeenafraid that she lived so far away from Charming where she could easily cry out for help.
Thankfully, the blacksmith’s son hadpassed by from hunting at that time and shot at the miscreants, scaring them away. But the damage had already been done, for now the sight of a knife blade caused immediate trepidation. It was just one more reason for Mr. Cade to be on his way as swiftly as possible.
Heading to her bed, she lifted the coverlet up to her chin and shut her eyes. This was one night she didn’t dare change into her nightdress as she willed herself to drown out the unwanted recollections of the past. But they refused to abate completely as she tossed and turned throughout the night.
Elise was grateful for the incoming dawn, but one glance outside her bedroom window told her that it wasn’t positive news. The skies were still heavy and gray with the threat of more snow to comeand there was already a foot or more on the ground. She leaned her foreheadagainst the pane and warred betweenher conscience and her common sense. She didn’t want to send Mr. Cade out into such inclement weather and be responsible for his demise should the worst happen, and yet, she didn’t want him to remain there with her either.
Perhaps she could direct him to the village inn with a note to Grannie…
She shook her head and decided that she would simply head out of her room and confront him like the brave woman her mother had raised her to be. One couldn’t live off the land in the wilds of Texas withoutknowing how to survive a few challenges.
After taking down her hair and brushing it until it crackled, she braided it back in the same, single braid, and changed into the most dour dress that she could find, a dull light gray. She glanced in the looking glass above her washstand with a satisfied nod and opened the door.
She stopped there,however,forMr. Cade’s hound had apparently taken it upon himself to be her protector;Beau was lying down on the floor at her feet, his head propped on his front paws. He lifted his head when she appeared, his deep brown eyes looking up at her almost sorrowfully.
Her heartstrings tugged as she bent down and scratched him behind his ear like she’dseenhis master do. His tongue lolled out of the side of his mouth and she couldn’t help but smile at the blatant show of contentment. “You’re a good boy, aren’t you, Beau?” she cooed. For reply, he moved his head closer to her and she laughed. “You’re quite the charmer.”
“He likes you.”
Elisestood upright at the sound of the deep voice. Like last night, her jaw went slack, but it wasn’t due to fright this time. The man before her looked nothing like the lumbering hulk of the stranger from last evening. It was apparent that the knife had worked its magic, for his hair was nowtamed down and shorn, his black beard neatly trimmed. If he was handsome before, now he was positively virile.
She glanced away from that intent, dark stare. “He’s a good dog.”
