Beau lumbered over to his master, who patted him affectionately on the head. “This one had been abandoned on the streets of Oklahoma. Heweighednext to nothing when I rescued him. I guessafter I started feeding him scraps itmade him rather faithful.”
His words sparked another memory for Elise, but this one was rather bittersweet. “I had a dog a couple years ago, very similar to your Beau, but when he passed away a few months before my mother, I didn’t have the heart to get another one.”
He lifted those intense dark eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Elise might have been imagining things, but he actually sounded sincere. “Thank you.” She ducked her head and made sure to give him a wide berth as she headed for the stove. She had left her apron on the counter last night, too discombobulated to hang it back up, so now she grabbed it and tied it around her waist.
She risked a glance over her shoulder to find that Mr. Cade was still standing where she’d left him, a slight smile touching his lips. For the briefest moment she wondered what it would be like to kiss him, but since those were dark thoughts that woulddo nothing butlead her down a dangerous path, she quickly returned her attention to the task at hand. “I hope you don’t have an aversion to bacon and eggs.”
“I sure don’t.” He paused, and then said, “Is there something I can do?”This time, curiosity compelled her to look at him. He was wearing a rather sheepish grin, whichonlymanaged to enhance his masculine appeal.“I’m used to staying busy. I fear I’m not fond of inactivity.”
Elise considered his request. She glanced at the fire, but it was already burning steadily in the hearth. Any other time it would have burned out and she would have shivered while she waited for it to roar back to life. She thought of his thick bearskin coat and walked over to grab a pail from the shelf. She returned and handed it to him. “I could use some more water. There’s apumpin the back, but it’s likely froze and it takes some work to get it moving again.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He reached out to take the pail and for the briefest moment their hands brushed.
As if she’d touched something hot, Elise snatched her hand back and began to busy herself with breakfast, praying that the tingling in her fingers would soon abate.
***
Chauncey was grateful for his buckskin moccasins, for while they weren’t all that warm, they were durable and waterproof. He glanced out over the white-coated mountainside and couldn’t help but shake his head. What a difference a day made. Yesterday he’d been trudging through the barren landscape with its dormant vegetation, and now it was covered with a thick blanket of snow with the impending threat of more to come. He lifted his head and closed his eyes,breathingin the scent strong upon the air. Mixing with the faint aroma of pine, itreminded him of home.
He opened his eyes. As much as he might miss Canada, those days were over. After what had happened…
He shook his head and pushed his way forward through the heavy snow.If there was one thing he’d learned over the years, it was not to lament that which was already gone. He’d left the past behind to start a new life. It was why he’d decided to make his way to California, in order to join the Central Pacific tasked with the construction of the transcontinental railroad to the west. He’d worked in Nebraska with the Union Pacific for a time, but as usual, his traveling spirit had him moving on. The only thing he owned was thatpack in Miss Erindelle’s cabin. It held everything that had ever meant anything to him, the only things that tied him to this earth.
He shook his head, determined to put any further maudlin thoughts out of his mind. For however long he might be here, he was determined to do what he could to make Miss Erindelle’s life easier. She had done him a courtesy by taking him in and he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize her hospitality.
Not only was she worthy of such consideration, taking on the task of living alone in such harsh conditions, but she had also accomplished something he hadn’t been able to do for the pastfouryears—give him a reason to live.
***
Once the food was done, Elise took down two plates, as well as two cups for coffee. She set the table and then paused to stare at the extra setting, her throat tightening. For the past two years there had beenbutone place for her. There hadn’t been more than that since her mother had passed. While Grannie would trek up to see her now and then to pay a visit, she generally didn’t get many other visitors. The stigma that her mother had been a witch and passed down her trade to heronlychild still followed her.
Because of the villagers’ reluctance to fully accept her as just an eccentric flower seller, it was why Elise continued to stay at the cabin instead of venturing into the valley more often. It made the winters long and lonely, but she always looked forward to the spring when the mountainwould thaw and she could fill her cart with the fragrant blooms that were known all throughout Charming and beyond. People clamored over one another to be the first to choose from her selection of flowers, but that’s where the familiarity ended.
She shook her head, determined not to travel down that same path, for it took her down a road she would rather not traverse.
Elise started to turn away, but as she shifted her gaze, something by the fire caught her attention. Her heart jumped in her chest, for she realized it was Mr. Cade’s pack. The leather bound bag was sitting there innocuously, but it likely held all the secrets of its owner. Did she dare investigate? But more importantly, did she even want to knowwithwhom she was dealing?
Again, her conscience warred within her, butcuriosity and the need for survival won out, for she startedto move forward. Shebentdown by the bag,glancing at the cabin door as she did so. Mr. Cade could return at any moment, and she didn’t want to be caught digging through his personal effects. But neither did she want to harbor some sort of criminal, so which one was the lesser of two evils? While what she might be about to do was rather immoral, it wasn’t punishable by death.
With another glance at the door, she slowly pulled open the drawstrings of his pack. There were a few odds and ends inside, clothing and a few essentials for living on the land. At first glance there was nothing much of note, but when she was about to close the bag back up, something crinkled in the corner. She held her breath as she reached inside and pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper.
Her lungs froze, for when she smoothed it out, she realized that it wasn’t just a plain piece of paper.
It was a wanted poster with a rather remarkable likeness to her current guest.
Chapter Four
“It’s starting to come down pretty good out there again.”Chaunceyspoke as heopened the door to the cabin, stomping his feet on the worn rug by the door. But when he looked up,he could tell that something was amiss.Miss Erindelle was perched on the edge of her chairnear the fire, eyeing him as if she wanted to flee. He wondered what could have possibly happened during his absence to make her so wary of him, but then he spied his packsitting near herby the mantel.
He set down the pail of water he’d retrieved with a sigh.He didn’t even try to misunderstand the reason for her sudden reticence.“I take it you found the poster.”
Sheblinked;obviouslysurprised that hehadadmitted his perfidy so easily.But instead of replying, her rather guilty expression confirmed his suspicions.
He removed his moccasins and outerwear and went over to his pack. He knew that the only way to gain her trust in him would be to tell her everything.
Well,mosteverything, that is.
