by Karen Kirst
“It’s all right.”
At the door, he took her knitted ivory shawl from the peg and offered it to her.
Murmuring her thanks, she wrapped it about her shoulders. Her long hair became trapped beneath the tightly woven yarn, and he considered freeing it. He would have if he didn’t think she’d slap him.
He opened the door for her and, remembering his cane, followed her to the barn. She hesitated at the entrance.
“Is there a problem?” he said.
“N-no. No problem.”
Firming her shoulders, she lifted the lamp she’d brought and hung it on a nail on the nearest wall. A small room housed tools, hoes, rakes and other gardening implements, ropes and pails. She chose one of the pails.
“How many milk cows do you have?”
“Just one.” Walking briskly past a rabbit hutch and stalls that housed their horses, she stopped at the last one on the right. “She’s a good producer. And even-tempered. If you’re gentle, she won’t kick you.” Turning around, she jumped at his close proximity. “D-do you need pointers before I go?”
Her gaze was fixed on his chest. This close, he could see the rapid pulse at her throat.
What was troubling her? Grant eyed the drooping ribbon and couldn’t resist. “Hold still.” Propping the cane against the wooden slats, he reached out.
“What are you doing?” Her eyes went round.
“You’re about to lose your hair ribbon.” Working quickly, he tightened the loops, keenly aware of her rose-kissed skin, her soft breathing, the silkiness of her hair beneath his fingers. His own pulse sped up. “There. It’s not perfect but should hold.”
Lowering his arms, he gave her space. She swallowed convulsively.
Sensing much more than his nearness was bothering her, he tried to silence the voice inside his head begging him to test the sweetness of her mouth. Just once, it insisted.
“Are you okay, Jessica?”
“I’m fine.” Spinning, she pushed into the stall. Going over to the Jersey cow, she scratched between its ears. “Sadie, this is Grant.”
He snagged the squat stool and carried it over. “Hello, Sadie.” He sat and patted her side. “I may not recall exactly how to do this, but I’m sure we’ll get on just fine.”
A plaintive meow came from just inside the stall door. He and Jessica turned to see Cinders rubbing against the frame, her nose sniffing the air.
“Hey there,” he greeted softly. “Don’t worry. You’re still my main pal.”
Jessica kept her attention on the straw-strewn floor. After a rocky start, he got the hang of milking and settled in to do the job. He ignored the soreness in his side. It wasn’t excruciating like before. Soon, he’d be completely healed and able to put more energy into their farm.
She roamed the stall like a caged animal. When he’d finished, her expression was one of relief. Out in the aisle, he asked about the rabbits and she listed off the names. Looking around, he noticed that much of the interior structure was newer than the roof and walls. When he commented on it, her face lost all color.
“There was a fire.”
Worried she might faint, he grasped her elbow to steady her. “What happened? Was anyone hurt?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter.” He ran his fingers down the length of her arm until he found her hand. He stroked her knuckles with his thumb. “You’ve been antsy ever since we came in here. You’re upset. Talk to me.”
“I don’t think so.”
He gently squeezed her hand. “So it’s okay for you to know the details of my life, meager though they might be, but I can’t ask about yours?”
Her jaw was set, her eyes twin pools of misery. “I don’t discuss the fire with anyone,” she whispered.
“You saved my life, Jessica. Offering a listening ear is the least I can do. Besides, I’m not staying. Whatever you tell me will go with me when I leave.”
Pulling free, she wrapped her arms about her middle. For a minute, he thought she wasn’t going to relent. Then she spoke. “Lee Cavanaugh started the fire. He and I…” Her eyes drifted shut. A sigh passed between her lips. “We were close.”
She loved him. Loves him still, by the looks of it. The realization rocked Grant. Why, he wasn’t certain. Jessica was a lovely, intriguing young woman. Any man would be dumb and blind not to see her worth.
“Why would he do such a thing?”
“Because an evil man ordered him to. Farnsworth had a gun. Lee didn’t have a choice but to do as he commanded.”
“Wait.” He held up a hand, horror shuddering through him. “This man was holding a gun on you both?”
“And Jane. She was with us.”
Now her comment from the other night made sense. She’d said her sister almost died because of her actions.
“Were you hurt?” He fought the urge to touch her again.
“I suffered bruises, that’s all. Farnsworth ordered Lee to douse the place with kerosene, so he did. Jane and I were tied up. We couldn’t do anything but watch in terror.” Walking around him, she moved to a spot in the middle of the floor, reliving the scene. Her back was to him, her head bent. “In a bid to save our lives, Lee swung the can at Farnsworth. He missed. Farnsworth shot him in the stomach. He died right here in my arms.”
His heart breaking for her, Grant moved beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Jess. I hate that you had to live through that.”
She lifted her face to his, and the anguish he saw there socked him in the gut. “But I did live. Lee didn’t.”
Cupping her cheek, he murmured, “You can’t blame yourself for his death. You didn’t pull the trigger.”
“You don’t know the whole story.”
“Tell me.”
“I—” Her lips parted seconds before her invisible barriers shot into place. “I can’t. I’ve said enough on the subject.”
Covering his hand with hers, she slowly pushed him away. Regret speared into him. “At least tell me how you and Jane escaped.”
“Farnsworth turned his gun on me. Jane leaped in front of me at the last second, taking the bullet that was meant for me. She blacked out, and I thought I’d lost her. Her wound wasn’t life-threatening, thank the Lord, and she regained consciousness. Tom arrived and captured Farnsworth. He helped us get Lee’s body out. The animals, too. My cousins and uncle got here in time to help him save the barn.”
The burden she carried finally became clear. Guilt was paralyzing her, the same way his past threatened to do to him. She’d convinced herself that Lee’s death and her sister’s injury were her fault. How could he make her see the error of such thinking?
He was mulling over the issue when a throat cleared behind them. “Evenin’, folks.”
Jessica put distance between her and Grant. “Shane. What are you doing here?”
“Sheriff.” Grant nodded. Something told him this wasn’t a social call.
The sheriff leveled a look at him. “We need to talk.”
CHAPTER TEN
“Have you discovered something?” Sweat trickled beneath Grant’s collar. He shifted his weight, trying to tame the panic beast clawing for release.
Right this second, he was glad Jessica had given them privacy. He tried to decipher the sheriff’s expression as he removed his Stetson and ambled over, using a nearby stall to prop up his weight.
“I haven’t heard from anyone yet. Should get a response from the nearest offices this week.” His hard gaze swept the barn’s interior before pinning Grant to the spot. “I stopped by to check on things here.”
In other words, he wanted to ensure Grant was toeing the line. Treating the O’Malleys with respect. Some of the tension left him.
“Everything’s fine. I’m helping out where I can.”
Shane’s gaze narrowed. “You and Jessica were having an intense conversation.”
While the lawman had every right to dig up Grant’s past, what happened in the here and now was off-li
mits. “Maybe.”
“What about?”
“That’s between the lady and me.” He retrieved his cane.
Pushing off the stall, Shane followed. “That girl has been through enough without you compounding the problem. If you hurt her, you’ll regret it.”
Grant ground his teeth. “You’re threatening me?”
“I’m speaking not as a lawman, but as her friend.”
“Rest assured, Sheriff. I wouldn’t intentionally hurt Jessica. I’d like to be her friend.”
He scoffed. “You really think that’s wise, considering?”
Anger at the other man and the situation pounded at his temples.
Will’s lanky form blocked the entrance. He must’ve just arrived. “Hey, Sheriff. Grant. Miss Alice wants to see you both inside.”
When he’d gone, Shane speared him with a hooded gaze. “Think about what I said.” Then he spun and stalked out.
Grant lagged behind, his mind full for someone who couldn’t recall 99 percent of his life.
*
He was finishing up the milking the following morning when Jessica entered the barn. Lowering the slat on the stall door, he looked up in surprise. He’d left her in the kitchen making gravy. “Was I taking too long?”
“Oh.” She fingered the gold chain around her neck. “I didn’t expect to see you.”
Carrying the brimming pail, he headed her direction. “What do you mean? I told you I’d be out here.” His words trailed off as he tracked the downward motion of her hand, which landed on her very swollen stomach. “Uh…”
Confusion scrambled his thoughts. It was rude to stare, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her changed form. “Is this some kind of joke?”
She could’ve put a pillow beneath her dress, he supposed, not convinced. That didn’t look like a pillow.
Her eyes twinkled. A tinkling laugh escaped. “I see Jessica didn’t tell you she has an identical twin sister.”
“Twin?” He almost dropped the milk. This woman looked exactly like Jessica. A mirror image. If it weren’t for her obvious pregnancy, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to tell them apart.
She extended her hand. “I’m Jane. You must be Mr. Parker.”
He mutely shook it.
Her smile was kind. “I apologize for giving you a shock.”
“It is a bit much to absorb before I’ve had my breakfast,” he said ruefully. He belatedly noticed the wedding band on her finger. Her hair was pulled off her neck in a complicated twist, a more formal style than Jessica favored.
He followed Jane outside. For someone close to having a baby, she moved with easy grace. How strange it would be to have a copy of himself in the world. He’d heard the bond between twins was a unique one. If they were as close as he imagined, no wonder Jessica had taken Jane’s injury to heart.
Entering the cabin, Jane announced her presence. Grant came in behind her and stood off to the side. Alice emerged from the kitchen first, wiping her hands on her apron before hugging her daughter. When Jessica entered the living room and he watched them embrace, he couldn’t help but be fascinated.
They broke apart, and Jane chided Jessica for keeping him in the dark. “I frightened the poor man.”
Jessica took one look at his face and burst out laughing.
“You think it’s funny, do you?” he said with mock injury. “For a minute there, I suspected you’d slipped laudanum in my water.”
“You look like you’ve never seen a pregnant woman before.” Her brilliant smile did funny things to his heart.
He arched a brow. “Or twins.”
Alice shook her head. “I suppose we did leave out that important tidbit.”
“Are there any other surprises I should know about? More sets of twins? Triplets?”
“No more surprises.”
Jessica linked arms with her sister and nudged her toward the kitchen. “What brings you by so early?”
“I wanted to ask if you’re going chestnut picking this weekend. I really want to go, but Tom thinks it’s too close to my delivery. He’s being very cautious.”
“He’s right to be.” Alice lowered a stack of dishes from the wall shelf. “This is your first child. Neither of you know what to expect.”
He hefted the pail onto the counter, uncomfortable with where the conversation was headed.
“In all the recent excitement, I forgot about the trip.” Jessica’s gaze touched on his for a brief moment. “What do you think, Ma? Should we stay home this year?”
“We have more canning to get done.” Alice wore a doubtful expression. “But the chestnuts bring in decent revenue.”
Leaning against the counter, Grant folded his arms and regarded the trio. “What’s this about?”
“Every year around this time, families in our community go camping in the higher elevations. That’s where the chestnut trees grow,” Jane explained. “We spend a couple of days gathering chestnuts to sell in Maryville. They are shipped to big cities like New York and Boston, where street vendors sell them freshly roasted.”
“We keep some for ourselves, as well,” Jessica said. “The nuts make a fine stuffing for our holiday turkey.”
Alice paused in laying out the silverware. “Jessica, why don’t you go? Take Grant along with you. I’ll stay and get the canning done.”
Jessica’s jaw went slack. “Grant and me? Alone? Ma, you know that’s not possible.”
“You’ll hardly be alone. Your cousins and their wives will be there.”
Rubbing slow circles on her stomach, Jane regarded him with unmistakable pensiveness. Jessica waved a hand of dismissal. “He’s not fully recuperated from his injuries.”
“How long is the trip?” he asked.
“About four hours.”
“You travel by wagon?”
“Yes, but it’s rough terrain. If an axle broke or a wheel needed to be repaired, you wouldn’t be able to do it without risking reopening your wound.”
“Could we take Will along?” he said.
“I suppose.”
“The trail will be used by other families,” Alice pointed out. “There will be people around to lend assistance if you run into trouble.”
Jane sank into one of the chairs and snagged a biscuit from the platter in the middle. “Why are you interested in going, Mr. Parker?”
“Please, call me Grant.”
Jessica set a mug of coffee at his usual setting. Murmuring his thanks, he took his seat. “I figure the more people I’m around, the better chance someone might recognize me. Will there be people from other communities?”
“Some.” Jane split open her biscuit, slathered butter on each side and drizzled it with honey.
Carrying a bowl of boiled eggs, Jessica took her spot beside him. “I understand your reasoning, Grant, but I think it’s risky. What if someone does recognize you and that person is the one who attacked you?”
Her question indicated she cared about his safety and that she believed in his innocence. “I’ll be prepared. I’ll take the gun you loaned me.”
She smoothed a napkin over her lap. “I don’t know.”
“Jessica, I have to try to find answers, no matter the outcome.”
Jane’s assessing gaze bounced between them. He supposed that after the fire and the events leading up to it—not all of which he was privy to—she would naturally be protective of her twin.
Alice urged them to start filling their plates. “I agree with Grant. Besides, there will be plenty of folks around. Caleb will be on alert for danger.”
The twins exchanged a look that Grant couldn’t quite interpret.
Under the table, he nudged Jessica’s shoe. “I have you to protect me, don’t I?”
“You’re a better shot than me,” she retorted, mashing up her egg with more force than necessary.
“Then what’s there to worry about?”
She sagged against the chair back. “You’re as stubborn as a mule, you know that?”
Alice
’s bubble of laughter rose to the ceiling.
Jessica’s chin jutted. “What?”
Jane lifted her napkin to hide a smile.
Grant shrugged. “Apparently I’m not the only one in this room who could be compared to an animal.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Have it your way. Let’s go camping.”
The excitement her words evoked had everything to do with being in a new environment and possibly finding clues to his identity, he reassured himself. It had nothing to do with spending time with the beautiful redhead.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“You didn’t mention how agreeable he is.” Jane was seated on the wagon’s high seat, her bonnet casting her features in shadow. “Or how pleasing to look at.”
Jessica blocked the sun with her hand. She wouldn’t deny that Grant was both those things and more. “I’ve told you before, there’s nothing to worry about. He’s only going to be here for a short time.”
“Sincerity practically oozes off him,” Jane continued, tugging on her wrist-length gloves. “No one’s that good an actor. Doesn’t he strike you as a humble sort? But he also has an inner strength. You can see it in his eyes.”
Jane had always been the more imaginative twin. And that remark about Grant’s humility was a subtle comparison to Lee, who’d possessed a charismatic personality. Her twin hadn’t ever truly warmed to him.
“He has reason to be humble, Jane. He has nothing. No money, no home, no past. He’s completely dependent on us for everything.” She frowned, knowing he wasn’t going to like what she had planned for later.
“Listen, sis, I want you to keep your wits about you.”
Throwing up her hands, she huffed, “I’m not going to keep repeating myself. You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know.”
Her lips compressed. “He seems like a nice man. I don’t want to see either of you get hurt.”
“Why does everyone assume I’m going to fall in love with Grant Parker?” her voice rose.
Behind her, boots scuffing across the porch made her stiffen. Judging by Jane’s embarrassed grimace, Grant had overheard every word.
Humiliation washed over her. Squeezing her eyes shut, Jessica wished for a hole to swallow her up.
