Whispers of Yesterday

by Marie Higgins

  “I must say,” she began, “I was surprised to see you. I hadn’t heard you’d returned to Springville.”

  “I came alone, and I didn’t make plans in advance. That’s why nobody knew.”

  “May I ask what brings you here now? Weren’t you in California?”

  He wasn’t about to tell her about being a bounty hunter. “I was actually on my way to Laramie, Wyoming, but since I was traveling this way, I decided to stop and see how my home town had grown.”

  “It’s grown, and yet, it’s still small enough to know everyone here.”

  “I rather miss that life. In California, everyone is too worried about their own lives to look out for their neighbors. Our family lived there for two years before I made any close friends.”

  “Oh, that’s just awful.” She shook her head. “I can’t even imagine.”

  He smiled down at her. Sabine appeared to hang on his every word. Of course, he figured she had perfected the art of flirting by now. He wasn’t against light flirtation, especially if the woman held his interest. And so far, Sabine was doing a fine job.

  She had the prettiest hazel eyes he’d ever seen. Her brown hair seemed to have darkened from when he had last seen her five years ago. She had an enchanting way of staring at him as if she found him so intriguing.

  “Tell me, Miss Lewis, what is new with your family? How are your folks doing?”

  “They are fine. Pa still runs the bank, and Ma still does her daily visits around town to check on the sick and afflicted.”

  He nodded. “That’s good to hear. What is your brother doing nowadays?”

  She opened her mouth to speak but paused. Confusion filled her features and she narrowed her gaze on Grange.

  “You know, I’m not certain that I know exactly what he does.” She chuckled lightly. “I know he earns money, but I don’t precisely know how. He leaves with some of his friends for a couple of days, and he returns with money.”

  He turned them down a pathway leading to a gazebo. This area was more shaded. A river ran nearby, too. One of these days when he decided to settle down, marry, and have children, he wouldn’t mind a yard like this. But of course, that dream wasn’t going to happen for several years.

  “How much money, exactly?” he wondered. It sounded more and more that Kendall was indeed a bank robber.

  “Sometimes a lot, but sometimes only a few twenty-dollar bills. It’s really the oddest thing.”

  “Does your brother still live at home even though he’s making that kind of money?”

  “Yes. I wonder why he doesn’t find his own place to live.”

  “Well, I’ll have to catch up with him this evening... if he’s feeling better, of course.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be excited to see you again.” Her bright smile returned. “He talked about you often after you moved away.”

  “We were good friends five years ago.”

  She tapped his arm. “I’m sure you can still be good friends.”

  He walked her into the gazebo and she sat. He sat next to her, but not too close. “Now let’s talk about you.”

  Her eyebrows lifted. “Me? Why?”

  “With your flock of admirers, I’m wondering why you’re not married yet.”

  She laughed lightly and her cheeks bloomed with color again. She really was adorable.

  “My pa is looking for the perfect man for me, and well... he hasn’t found him.”

  By her uncomfortable expression, he could see that she wasn’t convinced her father knew what he was doing. Confusion filled Grange and he shook his head. “Pardon me for asking, but is he marrying the man or are you?”

  “I am, of course, but Pa wants to make certain the man can provide for me and make me happy.”

  Grange tightened his hands into fists. He absolutely loathed men like Mr. Lewis, thinking money was the only thing that could make people happy.

  “Tell me, Miss Lewis. Will marrying a wealthy man make you happy?”

  Her smile faded. “Mr. Keller, you don’t understand.”

  “Oh, I’m sure I do understand very well. Your father is not being fair to you or your feelings.”

  “Mr. Keller, my pa doesn’t want to see me marry a man who only wants me for my inheritance.”

  Anger grew inside Grange and he stood. “I don’t know if you remember my parents, but they were not rich in money, but they were rich in love. Money does not buy happiness, finding the right person to love is what brings happiness.”

  She jumped to her feet, standing in front of him, blocking him from leaving the gazebo because he was that upset right now. She placed both hands on his chest and gazed up at his face. Her warm touch calmed him slightly.

  “Grange,” she said softly. “I remember your parents, and they were very much in love. I recall as a girl that I’d watch them when they were at church on Sundays or just walking in town, and I remember thinking that when I finally married, that would be the kind of marriage I wanted.” She paused briefly, licking her lips. “The way they looked at each other with so much love made my heart swell. The way your father always made certain your mother was taken care of before his needs, made me want to find a man like that for my own.”

  His heart skipped a beat. She’d called him by his name instead of a title. She leaned against him with her hands grasping his waistcoat, her hazel eyes pleading for understanding.

  “Then tell me, Sabine, why are you allowing your father to do this? It’s your life. It’s your happiness.”

  She blinked rapidly, and he could see tears building in her eyes. Obviously, he’d hit a nerve. But he couldn’t hold his tongue. She needed to know how controlling her father was being with his daughter’s happiness.

  “Grange, I can’t tell my pa. It would kill him if he knew my true feelings. And because...” Her voice tightened. “Because of the disease that is killing him, anyway, I want to do all I can to make him happy before he dies.”

  His heart clenched and he wrapped his arms around her in comfort. “Oh, Sabine. Forgive me. I didn’t know—”

  “Nobody knows – only Kendall and me – so please don’t say anything.” She took a deep breath. “Pa has had consumption for the past few years, and it’s getting worse. I fear for my ma’s health, too. She’s always been weak-minded, and weak in strength. I just pray that the man I marry will want to take care of her after Pa dies.”

  Grange nodded. “If you find the right man who loves you for yourself, then he will.”

  “Would... you do something like that if you were married?”

  He nodded. “I plan on marrying for love, which means I’ll love her enough to help care for her family.”

  She touched her palm to his cheek and smiled. “Grange Keller, you’re a good man. Any woman would be most fortunate to receive your love.”

  A different feeling twisted his heart – one he didn’t recognize. But he’d never felt more attracted to a woman than he did right now. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, and the sudden urge to kiss her overwhelmed him. He really shouldn’t, but how could he stop now?

  The moment his mouth captured hers, she sighed heavily and wilted in his arms. He tightened his hold around her to keep her upright, but her response to him only made him want to kiss her passionately.

  Taking the kiss slowly was extremely difficult, but then he waited to see just how innocent she was. If she’d been kissed before, he’d know. And if she had been kissed before, he’d crank up the passion another notch.

  He couldn’t really tell how innocent she was, but then that thought kept getting farther from his mind as the seconds turned into minutes. Her arms linked behind his neck as she met his eager kisses with an urgency of her own. His mind spun out of control with passion, and he couldn’t think straight. But then, he didn’t want to think straight. And yet, something nudged at the back of his mind, telling him that he wasn’t ready to settle down, and Sabine’s father was trying to find her a wealthy husband. Grange really should end the kiss, apologize
, and wish her well in her future endeavors. Unfortunately, kissing her was just so addictive.

  “What is going on?”

  The man’s strong voice broke Grange out of his passionate state, making him jump back. Sabine also jumped away from him and swung toward the man who’d entered the gazebo. Grange couldn’t believe he hadn’t heard the other man enter... Then again, his mind wasn’t focused, so yes, he should believe it.

  “Pa!” Sabine gasped and stepped to her father, grasping his arm. “Please don’t think—”

  “You are going to tell me how to think now?” A cough sprang from the older man’s throat, and mere seconds later, a few more erupted.

  “Pa, please.”

  Grange was a loss for words. He couldn’t exactly tell the man it’s not what you think, because it really was what Mr. Lewis was thinking. Grange was in an intimate position with an unmarried woman, and they’d been caught. There really was only one thing her father could do now, but Grange wasn’t looking forward to being tied down. Not with his job. It didn’t matter that kissing Sabine had made his heart race faster than any other woman he’d kissed because he still didn’t want to marry her. She needed someone who loved her completely.

  However, he had a bad feeling this would end poorly for both him and Sabine.

  FIVE

  Sabine sat on her bed with a locked wooden box next to her. Everything she deemed valuable was in this box – things her parents had given her before their deaths.

  Seeing Grange again after he’d walked out of their marriage had brought back so many memories. She’d broken Pa’s heart when he had forced Grange to do the right thing and marry her. But it had broken her heart, too. She hadn’t known at the time if her husband would ever fall in love with her, but when sickness claimed the lives of both her parents, and her brother died too after being shot by a lawman while robbing a bank, she’d been left in complete despair. It didn’t help that she couldn’t turn to her husband, either.

  Sabine was really the one to blame for the hasty marriage. She had secretly admired Grange for years, and when he’d asked her to go for a stroll that memorable afternoon, she’d tried her hardest not to appear too excited. It surprised her, however, how quickly things had escalated when they were in the gazebo and kissing him was just the right thing to do. After all, she’d dreamed of that with him since she was sixteen. But having a man forced to marry her wasn’t the right thing, even though she knew that he’d be a good husband because of the things they’d spoken about.

  Unfortunately, his job – which he never really told her about – kept him moving and he was rarely home after they were married. When he was home, she complained about him not wanting to be around her. They argued a lot. She cried even more. And in the end, he’d broken her heart when he left.

  But now she realized that Grange’s leaving was probably a good thing. They hadn’t really hated each other when he walked out of the house for the last time, and now seeing him again after all these years, she knew she didn’t really hate him. However, love was definitely not in the picture, either. Neither was trust.

  Who could she trust? If this man who’d hired Grange was the one after her for her pa’s keepsake, she would need someone to depend upon for help. Her aunt and uncle were getting on in years and she didn’t want to burden them. Perhaps she should allow Grange to be her protector. After all, he was still her husband. It was his duty. He’d exchanged vows when they were wed, and it was high time he finally lived up to them.

  She lifted the box onto her lap, unlocked it and opened the lid. Her mother had given her some necklaces, earbobs, and a ring that had belonged to Sabine’s grandmother. But all she had received from her pa was a small painting he made himself of a hillside and river running alongside it. He had built the frame himself, too. This particular painting had hung on his bedroom wall for years. As she grew, he told her that looking at this painting made him happy, and that if she ever wanted to feel that kind of happiness, that she need only look at the painting and know that God loved her so much that he created this beautiful land for them to live on and enjoy life.

  Sighing, she lifted the framed painting out of the box. Why did Foster feel he needed to take this from her? How did Pa know the man who hired Grange? There were so many questions, and she wished Pa was alive right now to answer them.

  She studied the framed painting. Unless she was blind, she really couldn’t see anything that made this special to anyone but her.

  She frowned. It looked like she would have to go back to Grange and ask for his help. But then, she was in charge this time, not him. She would set the rules and, hopefully, Grange would want to abide by them. That would be the only way she could work with him – and they could get along.

  She wiped the tears from her eyes. Before leaving her room, she pinched her cheeks. If she looked like she’d been crying, Aunt Milly would definitely want to know why.

  Taking a deep breath, she left her room and walked into the kitchen. Her uncle was home from work and he and Aunt Milly were sitting at the kitchen table, discussing his day at work while her aunt shelled peas into a bowl. When they saw her, they stopped talking and looked at her with quizzical stares.

  “I’m glad you’re both here,” Sabine said, sitting at the table with them. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

  “Is it about the stranger in town that you found cut and bleeding?” Uncle Gerald asked.

  Sabine gasped, surprised that they had heard. “How do you know about that?”

  “Sabine, dear.” Aunt Milly patted Sabine’s hand. “This is a small town. People can’t even sneeze without everyone wondering why.”

  A chuckle bubbled up from Sabine’s throat and she smiled. “Yes, very true.” She looked at her uncle. “And yes, it’s about the stranger. But... he is not a stranger to me.”

  “Yes.” Uncle Gerald nodded. “Doctor Mason said that Mr. Baxter had known your family when you were younger.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to ask who Mr. Baxter was until she remembered that was the name Grange had used to introduced himself. And... he was also a wealthy man looking for land to buy. She must remember that about him, too.

  She nodded. “Yes, I knew him when I was sixteen. My parents knew his parents. They were good people.”

  “No wonder the man came looking for you yesterday.” Milly picked out a few more pea pods and snapped them open, adding to the peas inside the bowl.

  “Yes, well...” Sabine shifted in her chair, “he’s now at Doctor Mason’s office and he needs to rest in bed for a few days. The doctor asked if we could take him in and be his caretakers while he recovers.”

  “Absolutely,” her uncle claimed with entirely too much excitement. “Any person who was a friend of your parents is now our friend.”

  Milly nodded energetically. “Mr. Baxter can stay in Natalie’s old room. I’ll get it ready right away.” She moved away from the table, wiping her hands on her apron. “Gerald, you go with Sabine and bring the man back. Take the wagon.”

  “Of course, Milly.” Gerald stood. “I’ll get the wagon ready. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”

  “Thank you for understanding.” Sabine needed to get to Grange before her aunt and uncle bombarded him with questions. Nobody could know that they were still married. “I’ll wait for you at the doctor’s office.”

  She hurried out of the house and into town. With any luck, no one would want to talk to her, but if they had heard about the wealthy handsome man needing stitches – and that she was the one who’d found him – people in town would certainly want to talk to her.

  A group of five people stood outside Olivia Stewart’s store. Inwardly, Sabine groaned. It would be rude just to walk by, but she must make them realize she was in a hurry. As she approached, she heard bits and pieces of their conversation. Apparently, plans were in motion for a barn raising event for Rosalee and Martin.

  Sabine sighed. At least they weren’t discussin
g the man who’d nearly bled to death.

  “Good day, Mrs. Clayborne.”

  Sabine looked up at Pastor Elkins and gave him a nod. “Yes, it’s a very good day,” she lied with a smile in the hope they’d believe her.

  LuAnn Carrington stepped in front of Sabine, stopping her. The Grist Mill owner’s wife smiled sweetly. “Mrs. Clayborne, We’re planning Rosalee and Martin’s barn raising event. I’ve created a food list, and I hope you’ll sign up.”

  “Of course I will, but not now.” Sabine slowly stepped around the other woman. “Let me know more about it at church. I’m in a hurry. I hope you understand.”

  “Yes, I do.” LuAnn nodded and moved back toward the small group.

  Sabine sighed as she was able to resume her pace toward the doctor’s office. She wasn’t looking forward to the moment she’d have to tell Grange she’d changed her mind. But she would set down rules, and that in itself made her more confident.

  When she walked into the doctor’s office, the door to Grange’s room was open, and she heard another man talking. The man’s voice was quite serious.

  Cautiously, she stepped closer until she recognized the man. Sheriff Knight? What was he doing here? She moved away from the door so that nobody would see her as she eavesdropped.

  “Mr. Baxter,” the sheriff said sternly, “if you’ll just tell me who stabbed you, I’ll see to it that they’re arrested. I only want peace and order in my town, and I won’t abide with someone breaking the law.”

  She sucked a quick breath. Stabbed? Why would the sheriff think Grange was stabbed? They’d told the doctor that Grange had accidentally cut himself on a barbed-wire fence.

  “I assure you, Sheriff, I don’t know where the bloody knife came from.” Grange’s voice was calm and convincing.

  She groaned quietly and rubbed her forehead. She’d forgotten to take her knife with her when they rode back into town. Obviously, someone had found the knife. She prayed nobody would find out she was the culprit.