Maddie insisted that everyone leave the house for the porch while she cleaned the dishes. Ely's violin needed to sing tonight because there was cause for celebration.
When she joined them, the moon was just cresting the mountain, casting silver shadows across the lawn that stretched long fingers onto the porch steps. Head cocked to one side, Ely plucked at his strings, listening and adjusting each one. Even his tuning, each draw of the bow across string elicited a calming transformation in Maddie, as though the notes themselves were cool fingers stroking a heated brow.
The tune he chose first was not his usual classical offering, instead, it was a toe-tapping melody that by its conclusion set them all to clapping. Bart became a gyrating top, his lose-limbed body moving as though Ely were using his violin strings to control him like a marionette.
Lena teased, "Why, Ely, that was nearly fiddling. I thought you didn't approve of such provincial music."
He looked somewhat chagrined. "There are nights for both. Ja? It is spring and I think my fingers are restless. If you and Evan will dance, I'll play you another."
"Don't be silly."
Evan jumped to his feet and grasped Lena's hand, a resolute look that brooked no refusal. "Come! We owe it to our friend. It is our way to pay him back for his performance. Ja, Ely?"
Ely's bow lit upon the strings as his fingers found the music, a reel with a Celtic voice singing out joyously to the night. Evan and Lena capered across the lawn, moving as one dancer, bewitched by the moon. Lena, her hand lifting her skirts in a gracious yet girlish gesture was not to be out done by Evan's exuberant feet.
Bart sat next to Jessie, his foot furiously tapping out the rhythm.
"Bart, you must dance for me. Ask Maddie to dance with you." Jessie threw Maddie a pleading look. "Please, Maddie. It would almost be as good as dancing myself."
This was hardly the dancing in which she’d been schooled. "I don't know. I'm not accustomed to this type . . ." Jessie's obvious disappointment stopped her. "All right. But Bart if I step on your feet, don't say that I didn't warn you."
Bart leaped to his feet and pulled Maddie by both hands onto the lawn. "Just follow my lead! There’s nothing to it!"
Maddie missed not a single step because Bart held her so firmly that her feet scarcely touched the ground. Ely's fiddle sang life and their blood, stirred by the season and hope, sang along in harmony. The music spun them into spring.
Scarcely, had the song ended before Jessie called out to Ely, "Play Laird of Drumblair!"
"For the fair lady." Ely raised his bow again, calling forth the reel from strings eager to yield to his fingers.
Partners changed without a break in rhythm. Evan's hands, larger than Bart's, spanned the back of her waist, his right hand dwarfing her left. Again, she scarcely gave notice to the steps because he fairly lifted her into and through the spirited dance. Two couples swirled in dizzying circles, hearts racing, keeping time to Ely's ebullient fiddle. And joining with the music was laughter. For long breathless moments, Maddie did not recognize the sound of her own laughter adding to that of those around her.
Lena's voice, as breathless as hers, cried out to Ely, "My heart shall burst, Ely, if you continue this pace." She drew her hands to her breast, face flushed to a joyous shade of rose.
Ely laughed. With the violin still tucked lovingly under his chin, he announced, "Then, here's one for you."
Maddie recognized the lively but gentler tune. She clapped her hands in delight and turned to her partner. No longer Evan, David stood next to her, his hand, palm up, inviting her. The invitation written on his face, took the form of the familiar dimple framing his lips. Maddie looked at the hand, the long delicate fingers, and hesitated but the span of a heartbeat. Placing her hand in his, she followed him into the dance.
Although not the skirt-lifting, heel kicking tunes that had sent her pulse racing, this one drew them irresistibly into a lively tapestry of steps in and around Lena and Evan. David seemed to take particular enjoyment in swinging her, first in one direction and then with scarce a moment to regain her balance, spinning her in the opposite. While he may not have held her in the same manner as Evan, she felt confident in his arms. His hand at her back and long fingers tightly wrapped around her hand gave her no choice but to follow where he led her.
Until now, her dancing partners had been girls in school under the tutelage of their social etiquette instructor. On occasion, boys from the neighboring school had danced with her, their sweaty palms at her back, soaking her waist with their insecurities. David held her as a man. This moment belonged to them and she gave herself up to the dance, the moon and sureness of her partner's arms.
When the music ceased, David continued to hold her hand. She was grateful for it as the lawn and stars continued to swim before her eyes. David held up his free hand, laughing as he did. He blew a shrill whistle, catching everyone's attention. Tiny lines fanning from the corners of his eyes matched his teasing tone as he said, "All right! Doctor's orders now. Ely, you must slow the pace. Do you know something that would allow us to catch our breaths?"
Ely pursed his lips a moment. "Ja. I have just the one. Evan, you know this one I'm sure. I will be greatly disappointed not to hear your wonderful voice join with my violin."
Jessie sighed and said just loud enough for Maddie to hear, "It must be My Evelina, the song Ely played at our wedding."
With the first strains, Maddie saw Lena lift a hand to her lips to touch the smile that grew as she looked up into Evan's face. He took her into his arms and whisked her into the dance singing as he did. Evan's sang of a man's deep love for his sweetheart, Evelina.
Way down in the meadow where the lily first blows,
Where the wind from the mountain ne'er ruffles the rose;
Lives fond Evelina, the sweet little dove,
The pride of the valley, the girl that I love.
Sweet Evelina, dear Evelina,
My love for thee shall never, never die.
Dear Evelina, sweet Evelina,
My love for thee shall never, never die.
David drew Maddie’s attention back to himself with a warm hand at her waist and a squeezing pressure around her hand. The song, though unfamiliar to Maddie, sounded both sweet and melancholy, evoking a memory, buried deeply. Had it been her parents she remembered seeing dancing one night in a darkened room, moving as one. Her mother’s head had rested on her father’s shoulder—so long ago as to be scarcely a memory at all but a gossamer shadow of a memory. She looked up into David’s face, surprised by his serious expression. Was he, too, recalling a memory of another partner, another time?
By the second chorus, she found herself humming along with Evan's deep baritone. The name had changed and instead of Evelina, he sang to Alena. What must it be like to trust someone so implicitly—to be trusted in return?
By the third verse, Maddie rested her cheek unselfconsciously against the doctor’s shoulder. She closed her eyes, leaning into his strength, reveling in his nearness. Evan's voice faded into the distance as she heard David humming, his breath warm and soft against her hair, the vibration of his humming caressing her cheek. Although she'd learned the steps in Miss Emma Willard's School for Young Ladies, she never truly danced before tonight. Tonight, she learned the magic of dance.
Chapter 23
Returning to work the following day, Maddie found a perplexed Mrs. Wilkinson. "I simply do not understand why we made no sales yesterday."
"Oh, but we did! I sold a book of poetry to Mrs. McDonnell. Remember?"
Mrs. Wilkinson frowned, then turned, surveying the wall of literature. "Still and all, that is a bit discouraging."
"If you wouldn't mind a suggestion . . ." Maddie waited until she was certain Mrs. Wilkinson realized she was not alone in the room, something Maddie postulated was her natural inclination. Preoccupation seemed to be her normal state of mind. Mrs. Wilkinson turned to her, tapping her fingers on the counter. "Yes, of course."
Maddi
e took a breath and started in. "I have read that bookshops in eastern cities host readings. I realize that we do not have any authors here, but someone could read aloud from our collection." Believing that she still at last held the woman's attention, she pushed on. "We could also organize a women's reading circle. The members might suggest which books they would like to read ahead of time; we would order the books; they would meet to discuss what they had read."
Maddie knew the suggestions had merit, but whether Mrs. Wilkinson's crowded mind could give them proper consideration remained to be seen. She watched the woman's fingers grow quiet. Maddie considered this a good sign. However, her expression remained frozen for so long that Maddie began to wonder if she were thinking of something entirely unrelated to the bookshop, another of her many charitable endeavors.
At last Mrs. Wilkinson's face defrosted and a toothful smile reappeared. "Madison, those are brilliant ideas! I suppose that I might still offer tea and sandwiches?" She put this last question to Maddie almost as an appeal, her brow creasing.
Yes, of course, this would be her first concern. Impeccably dressed for all occasions, well-acquainted with the politics of every women’s society in Ketchum, a campaigner for every possible good deed, she must look after the needs of her guests, not her customers. They would never be simply those who wished to make purchases. Maddie nodded while suppressing a smile and said, "Of course, Mrs. Wilkinson. We will make many opportunities for tea."
By Friday, Maddie had managed to remove four wanted posters from the most prominent stores along Main Street. What were four more thefts when she had hidden in her room a satchel full of thousands of stolen dollars? These were, after all only, pieces of paper. That evening, after promising Mr. Wilkinson that she would lock up, she systematically burned each poster. One-by-one, she lay them in the fire of his woodstove, not willing to leave until all had turned to white ash.
Saturday evening, Evan announced that he and Lena would be traveling north to the Big Wood River Ranch. Anyone who wished to see the property was welcome to come along. Although the legal aspects of their ownership would not be finalized for some weeks, they planned a picnic at the site of the proposed lodge. Now that her brother had returned east, the widow seemed more than willing to welcome visits to the ranch. In fact, the picnic was her idea.
Sunday afternoon, after a disturbing sermon about Satan as the father of lies, Lena and Maddie hurried home to pack up pies and sandwiches enough for a dozen people. With the buckboard loaded, Ely, Lena and Evan climbed in. Maddie was about to step up when David offered her the second seat in his buggy.
Maddie blinked once at the suggestion. While the thought of spending more time with David was appealing, she feared allowing herself to be in a position to further her deceit. But the idea of riding on the buggy’s upholstered seat sounded far preferable to the hard buckboard. And there was the darling mare to consider. "That would be nice, thank you."
David’s sturdy little mare, head and tail held high, pranced as if she sensed the holiday atmosphere. She soon insisted on taking the lead, stepping out at a clip to pass up the larger horse. David kissed to the mare, urging her into a high-stepping trot.
Maddie laughed, seeing Evan’s disapproving scowl. "I’m not sure who enjoys this more, you or your horse."
"I think it’s mutual." He gave her an impish smile. "Let’s see what she can do." With a slap of the reins against the horse’s rump, the mare picked up her pace.
Grabbing her hat with one hand and the side of the buggy with the other, Maddie let out a startled squeal. With wind whipping tendrils of hair into her mouth, she thought of nothing beyond the joy of this moment. Her senses satiated, she reveled in the mad rush of hooves pounding on dirt.
Too soon, David reined in the mare, slowing their pace. Only then was Maddie aware of more than her tingling excitement. She lifted her eyes to the bluest sky she’d ever seen, filling so much of the horizon, stretching for miles to meet the foothills. Had there ever been such a sky or such a day?
Stretching out along their route were indications of Jessie’s awakening spring. Wildflowers and evergreens adorned with new growth in the palest shades of green marked their path north along the Big Wood River. David must have commented on the weather but Maddie, so enraptured by the beauty surrounding her, sat beside him stunned, scarcely hearing. It wasn't that she ignored him by any conscious decision but his soft voice became lost in the wonder. She was passing into a dream, a dream she’d had fallen into with her eyes wide open.
The trail turned toward the river, passing through a glade of birch trees just coming to leaf. Maddie looked up at the green canopy, her heart quickening at the glory of it. Unable to contain her delight, she rose to her feet, lifting her hands to brush the budding branches.
David reached out a hand to steady her. He looked up at her, alarmed. "What are you doing?"
Maddie laughed aloud as tender branches brushed her fingers. "Isn’t this amazing?"
He slowed the mare to an easy walk, allowing Maddie her moment of joy. He didn't scold her or suggest she was foolish; he simply laughed. It was a pleasant sound, rumbling up from deep within his chest. She looked down at him, his head bent back as he laughed with her.
In that moment of candor, he was everything spring represented—hope, new beginnings, possibilities. She saw him. Perhaps for the first time, she really saw him, and she was surprised by what she saw, perhaps even more by what she felt. For the first time since arriving in this small town at the end of her known world, she believed new starts were possible.
"Should I stop? Do you need to climb the tree or is touching it enough to appreciate it? Or perhaps you should take the reins and ride like Diana on her chariot. I wish I could offer you a bow and quiver of arrows." His eyes still held laughter.
"No, thank you." Taking his hand, she settled herself back onto the seat. "Is spring always like this? I can't recall ever seeing one so resplendent." She hugged her arms around herself, shaking from a spontaneous tremor of excitement.
David kissed to the mare and said, "I can't speak for them all, nor can I say that this one is unique." He cast his gaze to the swollen river tripping along, singing its own glad song. "I have to agree with you that it is splendid and finer than any I can recall."
The trail turned away from the river threading its way through tall grass to a small rise. They came upon Ely unhitching the horses. When had they fallen behind them?
Lena and Evan stood a little way from the buckboard gazing down on the valley below at a two-story farmhouse and a scattering of tidy outbuildings. Whoever had built the house had positioned it for a sweeping view of the river and the rising hills beyond. Maddie, transfixed by its charm, stared with open mouth.
David offered his hand to her. "I can understand why this place means so much to them."
She jumped down from the buggy but took hold of his sleeve before he could start off to join Evan and Lena. David gave her a puzzled look. She nodded to the couple. "They need some time, I think."
The couple stood like a lovely statue of lovers, Evan with his arms around Lena, she resting her head against his chest. David took a step back to her side and whispered, "I wonder how much more they see than we do."
It was Maddie's turn to be puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"I think they see more than a house, a couple of barns and prime grazing land. I think they see what it can become. I think they see the possibilities in the years ahead."
Maddie shifted her gaze from Lena to the valley and then back to Evan. He was right. She imagined that their eyes were focused on the future, sharing a similar vision. She couldn't imagine such intimacy, but in that moment, she wanted it more than anything else she'd ever desired in her short life. What forces worked to bring two hearts together like this? What miracle of heaven?
David startled her when he asked, "Who do you suppose dreamed this first? Was it Lena or Evan?"
She studied him, his face turned to the couple. Heedless o
f propriety’s dictates, she asked, "Do you have a dream that strong, something worth chasing?"
He stood unmoving for a number of heartbeats before he answered in a voice scarcely more than a whisper, "I want what they have for each other, that depth of intimacy with someone."
Maddie marveled at the man’s candor, the unveiled envy. But she had to agree. In her life she’d rarely glimpsed such companionship. She found it impossible not to feel a twinge of jealousy. "I think what they have must be a rare thing."
"Perhaps." Something in the way he said the word, made her think that he believed the possibility of such a relationship more tangible than she. Maybe he’d had that kind of attachment to someone. The young woman doctor, perhaps? She couldn’t explain why it should matter, but it did.
David turned abruptly to face her. "I forgot!" He rummaged through his coat pocket until he found what he searched for. Pulling out a folded newspaper clipping, he handed it to her. "I read this in the Idaho World Newspaper yesterday and thought of you. It’s only a few days old."
She unfolded the article and read the title. Miss Nellie Bly Takes the Challenge
"She’s a reporter for The New York World newspaper who’s attempting to navigate the world in 75 days. That article tells of her arrival in London after crossing the Atlantic from New Jersey. It’s quite the celebrated undertaking. Her writing is very engaging and lively. Have you heard of her?"
Maddie wished she could say that she had, but the woman’s name was new to her. She shook her head, scanning the article eagerly.
"Another article I’ve read reported that her editor, Mr. Pulitzer, didn’t wish to send her. He told her only a man could manage such a journey. According to her own words, she told him to hire the man to take the challenge and she would go to work for a competing newspaper and beat him."
Redeeming Lies Page 16
