“That’s enough,” she announced, pushing away the memories. “Wash up and I’ll put together something to eat.”
“Finally,” Nathan mumbled.
Rachel hid her smile. “I appreciate you working so hard. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
She started when someone banged on the door. Nathan didn’t hesitate. He jumped up and tore across the room. “Wait!”
He spun around to stare at her. “What’s wrong?”
She pressed a hand to her racing heart. “Find out who it is before you open the door.”
He stared at her like she’d suddenly grown a second head. “Who would it be that we don’t already know?”
Another knock sounded. “Remember those men,” she hissed. “The ones Ranger McCain is chasing. I don’t want to open the door to them.”
“Oh, yeah, I forgot.” He peeked out of a window closest to the door. “It’s Ms. Winston and Hi-ram.”
Nathan’s singsong tone reminded her how much her brother disliked the man she hoped to marry. Nathan was never rude to him, but he didn’t bother to hide his feelings, either.
“They’ve got a bunch of stuff with them.”
“Rachel? Nathan?” Abby knocked again. “You in there?”
“Coming.” She patted her hair, hoping the tight bun was still intact. “Nathan, open the door, please.”
He rolled his eyes at her before lifting the latch.
“Come in, Abby. Mr. Miller.” She kept her gaze lowered as she greeted him, as she’d been taught a good woman should, but couldn’t resist a glance. Proper behavior was forgotten when she saw the anger in his eyes. He glared at her as he stepped into the cabin. What could she have done to elicit such a reaction?
“What a nice surprise,” she managed to greet Abby. “We weren’t expecting company, but it’s good to see you.” She backed up as Hiram dropped an armload of food and supplies on the table. Rachel’s eyes grew wide when Abby added more to the pile. “What’s all this?”
“Replenishing your supplies, compliments of Ranger McCain.”
Abby Winston lowered her ample frame onto a bench. “There’s bacon, beans, sugar, salt, flour, some jerky, and coffee.” She pulled the bag out and held it out to Rachel. “He was adamant about you having coffee. Paid a pretty penny for it, too.”
“But I didn’t ask for any of this.” Rachel clutched her hands together behind her back to keep from reaching out for the treasure.
“Of course you didn’t,” the older woman agreed easily. “It wouldn’t be repaying you if you’d asked for it.”
“Repayment? For what?”
“For feeding him while he mended, he said.” Hiram spoke from his place near the mantel.
“I only did as I was taught,” she insisted. “I shared what we had with someone in need.”
“I know that, honey,” Abby soothed. “Told him you probably wouldn’t take too kindly to his insisting like this. But he paid for it all and asked me to see you got it.” She heaved herself to her feet. “Time to get back. I wanted to be sure you had this before it got too late.” Abby glanced back when she reached the door. “Coming, Hiram?”
“In a minute,” he dismissed her, never looking away from Rachel.
“Nathan, why don’t you walk with me until Mr. Miller catches up?”
As they left, Hiram crossed to Rachel, trapping her against the table. “I want to know what went on here.”
“What do you mean?” She shrank back from the fury and accusations in his eyes.
“A man doesn’t just buy a month’s worth of supplies for nothing, Rachel.” He grabbed her upper arms in a bruising grip. “What did you give him that cost this much?”
Remembering Mrs. Hudson’s lectures on maintaining her dignity, she tried to rein in her growing temper. “Ranger McCain was injured. I helped him, just as I would have helped anyone in need. For heaven’s sake, Hiram, the man passed out at my feet. What was I to do, rouse him from his stupor and send him back into the storm? He was unconscious until morning.” She nearly cursed when she felt the warmth climb her cheeks.
Hiram’s eyes narrowed. “I think you’re lying.”
Rachel gasped. “How dare you!” She tried to pull out of his grasp, but he only crowded closer, until they touched from chest to knees. Panic exploded deep inside Rachel.
“What about the others, the ones you said you sent straight to town?”
The insinuation in his voice made her shiver. Temper swelled on the heels of fear. “Say what you mean, Hiram Miller, or get out of my home.”
“They told some folks that you looked real familiar, that you were a mirror image of a woman they used to know in El Paso. One said he knew her real well.”
Rachel felt the blood leave her face and grabbed at the edge of the table as her knees grew weak.
“It’s not true,” she whispered.
“One of them said he’d seen you there.”
“No,” she denied. She wanted to shout at him but only a whisper of sound got past the cold lump of dread in her throat. It wasn’t possible, not after all this time? Hadn’t she done everything right? Hadn’t she been the good girl the preacher told her she had to be?
“Are you sure you don’t know those men the Ranger is chasing?” He shook her hard, his face mottled red with anger.
She’d shoved him away and swung at him without thinking. The slap echoed through the room. Hiram stumbled back. The shock she felt at what she’d done was mirrored in his expression.
“Hiram, I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
“What’s the matter with you?”
“You...you frightened me, shaking me like that.”
He stared at his hands, then lifted icy blue eyes to her. “Maybe you deserved it. Maybe you’ve been lying to me—to everyone in this town.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Rachel slumped in the rocking chair, staring through the open door. Hiram had gone, slamming it so hard it bounced in the frame and crashed back against the wall. Now, there was only silence.
This couldn’t be happening. She’d tried so hard to be a good woman and do everything right. She thought she had left her past behind. But it had found her again.
What else could she have done? She never spoke of her mother, though she loved her and still missed her. But that was the price the preacher had demanded of her. Forget your past, shake the dust of that life from your shoes and never look back. He’d never known what she was running from. She’d refused to tell him. And she’d been successful at deflecting Nathan’s questions about his father. Until today, she thought no one knew what she’d escaped from.
She forced herself to stand and walk across the room to the door. The sun still shone, sparkling off the little patches of snow that remained in shadows and crevasses. The sky was still blue. The cabin still stood. But her world was crumbling.
She saw Nathan in the distance, dragging a long stick through the mud made by melting snow and ice. At least he didn’t know. Yet, a voice whispered in her head. She made herself smile and return his wave. What would happen to her brother if the rumors persisted?
Rachel stopped. What had Hiram said? The men thought she looked familiar? Thought she looked like someone they knew? If they weren’t sure, then no one in town knew for certain. They were only rumors, words spoken to hurt her. But she could tell them it wasn’t true, prove to them she wasn’t what they said.
She touched her hair and cheek with shaking fingers. She did resemble her mother. The one photograph she had of the woman made it obvious. But no one else in town knew that. She’d never shown that likeness to anyone. Her hand stilled as she realized Jake had seen it.
But he wouldn’t say anything, especially if he knew it would harm her. She paced to the hearth and back, wringing her hands. She had to speak to Jake. But Abby said he’d made his purchases and asked her to see them delivered because he was going after the thieves who’d tried to kill him.
She felt a spurt of hope. Maybe he’d catch
them and they’d fight and Jake would kill them. Then, they couldn’t talk anymore about who looked like whom. A second later, Rachel dropped to her knees and prayed for forgiveness for even thinking such a thing. It was evil to wish harm to another just to make your own life easier.
She thought of Hiram, her fiancé, her hope of a future. Why would he take the word of strangers instead of her? Could she marry a man who believed such terrible things of her without even giving her a chance to explain?
She rose as Nathan burst through the door. There had to be a way to protect him from the truth. If she could convince her neighbors the men were lying, or were mistaken, everything would go back to normal. Surely they’d believe her over some strangers just passing through town.
“Miz Winston is gonna bake cookies tomorrow morning and she said I could come back and have one after school for being a gentleman and walking her all the way home ’cause Hiram never caught up with us like he said he would and I didn’t think you’d mind me going to town and back since you were busy talking.” Nathan looked up at her, finally pausing for a breath. “When are we going to eat?”
Rachel’s mood improved considerably. He could always make her smile. “Soon, little brother. Help me put away the supplies Ranger McCain sent us and then I’ll fix us something.”
“All right.” Nathan picked up a sack of beans and headed for the makeshift pantry they’d created from three old packing crates. The bag hit the wood with a thud. “Why did he send us all this? I thought we were supposed to help others and not expect to be paid.”
Rachel followed him with the sugar and salt. “We didn’t expect it. I suppose the Ranger felt beholden to us, so he bought food to replace what we’d shared.”
“He did eat a lot,” the boy mused, “but not this much.”
“Mr. McCain is a generous man. We’ll have to be sure and thank him.”
Nathan’s eyes lit with excitement. “Is he coming back?”
She thought of Jake seeing her mother’s picture. “I hope so. But if he doesn’t, we can write to him and send the letter to his mother in Abilene. She’ll see he gets it.”
“Yeah, but I’ll bet he comes back. He has to take those bad men to be hanged, if he doesn’t kill them first, of course.”
That snapped Rachel from her daydream. “Nathan Hudson—” She bit off the lecture she’d been about to deliver. She could hardly scold him when she’d been thinking much the same things. “Set the table and wash your hands. I’m hungry.”
•♥•
The next morning dawned bright and clear. The air blowing off the mountain was cold, but the brilliant blue sky made it easy to ignore the temperature. Carrying a small stack of corrected lesson books, Rachel picked her way along the muddy path to the schoolhouse while Nathan raced ahead to meet his friends.
She smiled at his back. He looked very proper and respectable in his woolen coat and matching hat. She knew it wasn’t the latest fashion, but it was clean. He’d grumbled for fifteen minutes about having to wear a coat and hat to go to school, but he’d finally given in when she’d threatened to deny him a visit to Abby’s for cookies.
She checked the pins in her own hat to be sure they were secure. The dark gray wool hat had belonged to Albert Jackson’s wife. He’d insisted Rachel take it as well as the matching cloak she wore. It was his way of thanking her for caring for his children during the last difficult days of his wife’s illness.
The hat had been covered with dove gray lace and matching feathers when she received it. She’d carefully removed all the decoration and packed it away. She left only the small black satin ribbon that fluttered in the light breeze. A proper woman didn’t flaunt herself with lace and finery. There were times when she was tempted to put just a little something on her hat, or maybe make a dress of bright yellow muslin. But that wouldn’t be acceptable and she had to show everyone she could be a good wife to Hiram.
The school, actually a tiny church, was situated on the far side of town. She only needed a table for the four or five children who attended, and that fit comfortably in the front of the sanctuary, near the small stove they used for heat.
Her mind wandered as Nathan lit the fire. She hoped there would be enough firewood to hold them for the morning. After the children practiced their letters, she would hold a spelling contest as promised, then send them into the sunshine to play. She’d finished the small gifts for the winners last night after Nathan went to bed. It had taken most of the night. She stretched her tired shoulders. As a reward, to herself as much as the children, they would all be released a little early.
By the time she’d dusted the desk, Nathan had the fire started. “You’re getting very good at that,” she praised. “Don’t put too many logs on. It won’t be a long morning.”
“Yippee!” Nathan tossed his hat in the air and caught it before it struck the sanded wood floor. “Wait until I tell Matthew.”
“You can tell him when he arrives. I need your help getting ready, please.”
They worked quickly setting the room to rights. It took a little longer than usual, but, even when all stood ready, none of the children had arrived. Rachel paced to the door and back, worry and dread building.
“Where is everyone?” Nathan spun a slate around on the table.
“I’m sure they’ll be here. We’re just a little early, that’s all.”
Nathan poked at the fire and then ran to the door to look for his best friend.
“Would you please sit down and work on your spelling?”
Nathan stared at her, confusion obvious in his face. “What did I do?”
Guilt swept away her anger. “Nothing, Nathan. I’m sorry. I had no reason to scold you. I’m just worried, that’s all.”
“About the others?”
She grasped on to the safe explanation. “Yes. I’m worried about the children.”
“I’ll go see if Matthew is sick.”
“No!” The single word echoed in the high-ceilinged room. “I mean, you promised to stop and see Miss Winston, didn’t you? Since it looks like everyone thought school was cancelled for today, we’ll put out the fire and gather our things. Perhaps the cookies will be out of the oven by the time we get there.”
“Fine.” He shuffled across the room to tend the stove while she put away the slates and books. When she couldn’t find another reason to delay, they left, closing the door behind them. She fancied the thud of wood against wood sounded very final and she shook from more than the cold air.
The walk through town wasn’t far, but it felt like a hundred miles. She wasn’t in any hurry to meet up with her neighbors, but needn’t have worried. There was no one on the street. Where was everyone? Surely the whole town hadn’t decided to stay inside and avoid her? They couldn’t believe what those strangers had said about her. But what other explanation was there?
“Sis? Sis!”
Nathan’s voice snapped the endless circle of her thoughts. “What is it?”
“We’re here.”
“I see that. And I smell baking cookies. Let’s go around back so Miss Winston doesn’t have to bother letting us in.” She shifted the books she carried, got a better grip on her shawl, and lifted her skirt clear of the mud. The dress had belonged to the preacher’s wife and was a little short on her, but she didn’t want to get it too dirty.
“Come in,” Abby shouted at Nathan’s enthusiastic knock. “Well, hello there. Come for your salary, have you?”
“Yes, ma’am, and it sure smells good in here.”
Rachel cleared her throat, drawing Nathan’s attention. “Remove your hat,” she mouthed, fighting a grin when he whipped it off his head and snagged a coat hook with the brim.
“Will you sit and talk awhile, Rachel?”
She smiled her thanks at the older woman. Count on Abby to pretend everything was just the same as always. But it wasn’t. Her stomach twisted.
“Did you finish your chores, young man?”
“Um-hmm,” Nathan nodded, h
is mouth full of cookie.
“Good. Good.” Abby patted his shoulder. “You can take one or two of those to Matthew Parker, if you’ve a mind to share.”
Nathan scraped cookie crumbs from his mouth with the back of one hand and looked to Rachel for permission. “Can I go see why Matthew wasn’t in school today?”
“May I,” she corrected. She wanted to say no, to keep him close by, but it was ridiculous to worry. “Yes, you may, but thank Miss Winston first. And don’t stay too long. I’ll see you back at home.”
Abby wrapped up four more cookies. “Two for you and two for Matthew,” she admonished him. Then she ruffled his hair and plopped his hat on his head. “You come back and see me soon, now. Don’t wait until you smell the baking.”
“Thank you,” he managed around the cookie and shot out the door, jumped past the three steps, and hit the ground running.
“Doubt there’ll be more than crumbs left by the time he gets there.” Abby laughed as she closed the door. “Sit down, girl, before you fall down.” She settled across from Rachel. “And tell me what’s wrong.” She held up one weathered hand at Rachel’s protest. “Don’t bother to deny it. It’s plain as day on your pretty face.”
“No one came to school this morning.” Rachel wasn’t sure how she’d managed to push the words past the lump in her throat.
“I was afraid of that. Fools.”
That one word was balm to Rachel’s soul. At least someone was on her side. “Why, Abby? Why would they trust the word of some strangers over mine? Even Hiram believed them. We’ve lived here for more than two years. I’ve never done anything to give them cause to act this way.”
“Honey, these people don’t trust their own mothers. It’s the gold fever. Makes them think everyone’s out to steal something. Folks with the fever won’t risk letting anyone get too close and they’re happy to believe the worst about everyone.”
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