White River Brides

by Frances Devine

  She stood with one boot in her hand and a faraway look crossed her face. “Dead serious. I’ve never been more serious about anything in my whole life.”

  Chapter 2

  Tuck jumped off her horse, Sweet Pea, and tied the reins to the rail in front of the general store. Her stomach tossed and turned, but that was good. Maybe that meant she really was sick, instead of just faking as she’d planned. She swallowed past a lump in her throat. On the other hand, this might not be such a great idea after all.

  She glanced at the store then back to her horse, envisioning herself mounting Sweet Pea and riding away. She shook her head. Nope. She’d come this far; she wasn’t about to back down now. Especially since she’d gone to the trouble of donning a freshly pressed dress with rickrack around the neck. She’d even wound her braids around her head. Taking a deep breath, she headed for the store.

  The bell over the door jangled loudly as she walked in. She barely noticed the blended aromas of cinnamon and cloves, leather and coffee. Probably because her face, including her nose, was numb. She took a deep breath and stepped forward.

  Mr. Hawkins looked up from where he was shelving buckets of sorghum. “Good morning, Tuck. What can I get for you?”

  She cleared her throat. “Is the doctor here?”

  Hawkins motioned toward a door in back near the post office. “Yes, his office is back there. He has a patient though.”

  Disappointment wrestled with relief. “Oh. Then I’ll come back another time.”

  “No, don’t leave. They should be about finished in there. Been near onto a half hour. Sit down there and wait.” He motioned to a chair by the office door then scanned Tuck’s face. “You sick?”

  “Why else would I want to see the doc?” Her face prickled with heat.

  He grinned. “Oh, maybe the same reason half the girls in the county been showing up here. Maybe you’ve taken a shine to the doctor?”

  She opened her mouth to retort, but a choking sound was all that came out. Whirling, she stomped toward the door.

  “Now hold on, Tuck. Don’t get so riled up. I was just fooling.”

  Tuck stopped in her tracks, torn between escape from embarrassment and her desire to see the doctor. She’d made several attempts to get his attention, but aside from being polite, he had practically ignored her.

  The door to the office opened and a woman came out leading a small boy. She nodded at Tuck and Mr. Hawkins as she walked by.

  Tuck’s breath caught in her throat as the doctor appeared in the open doorway.

  “You have another patient here, Dr. Fields.” Mr. Hawkins motioned to Tuck.

  Surprise crossed his face, but he smiled, his eyes quickly running down the length of her then back to focus on her face. “Ah, Miss Sullivan. I didn’t expect you back again so soon.”

  Oh no. She was blushing again. But what did he mean, again?

  Mr. Hawkins cleared his throat. “Excuse me, Doc. This is Miss Abigail Sullivan. The young lady who was here yesterday was her twin sister, Adeline.”

  What? Addy was here? What was she up to?

  “Of course,” the doctor said. “I should have noticed. Please forgive me, Miss Sullivan. Won’t you come in?”

  Tuck nodded and followed him into his office, her head swimming.

  A new desk stood against a back wall, the new wood smell wafting across the room. He motioned to the chair in front of it. “How may I assist you, Miss Sullivan?”

  She ran her tongue across her dry lips. “I’m feeling a little bit under the weather.” At least she could say it now without lying.

  “I see.” He smiled and his eyes seemed to bore into her. Could he possibly know she was faking? “What are your symptoms?”

  “Uh…my head and stomach hurt, and I’m a little bit dizzy.” That much was true. Even if it was nerves or lovesickness.

  “I see.” He reached down and took her hand, giving it a squeeze before he checked her pulse rate. He gazed into her eyes and smiled. “Yes, your pulse is a little fast.”

  Taking the stethoscope from around his neck, he bent over and listened to her heart. “Ummhmm.” He moved the instrument to her back. “Take a deep breath now.”

  She hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until then. She let the air out of her lungs with a whoosh then drew it back in.

  The doctor stood. “I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, Miss Sullivan. Maybe something you ate. I’ll give you some medicine to settle your stomach.”

  Was that amusement in his voice? Tuck gave him a quick glance, but his face was composed, except for that heart-melting smile, as he walked to a cupboard and withdrew a large bottle of pills. He put a few into an envelope and handed them to her.

  “Thank you, Doctor.” She stood and extended her hand to him.

  “You’re very welcome, Miss Sullivan.” Tingling warmth began at her fingertips and made its way up her arm as he took her hand and held it a moment longer than was necessary. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  “Well, no—” She swallowed. “But did you know we’re having a singing at the church Saturday night?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, I did hear a thing or two about it.” His eyes glittered as he looked at her.

  “Uh, I thought, maybe, you being new and all, you might like to go along with me so I can introduce you to everyone.” There. She’d said it. And hadn’t even passed out.

  “That would have been lovely, but you see, I’ve already arranged to attend the function with another young lady. Your sister.”

  Stunned, Tuck somehow managed to say good-bye and leave without passing out or screaming. Addy! So much for her sister’s declaration about not caring for the doctor.

  She mounted Sweet Pea and flung her knee around the horn. Last time she’d wear a dress on a horse. Wasn’t anything wrong with her overalls anyway. Oh! That Addy. Just wait till she got a hold of her sister. She’d…she’d…Well, she wasn’t sure, but Addy wasn’t getting away with this.

  Tuck set Sweet Pea into a thundering gallop down the road toward home, rushing past ancient, tall trees and herds of cattle as they raced toward home. Papa Jack would be madder than a wet hen if he saw how she was riding the horse, but who cared? He wasn’t her pa anyway.

  Shame shot through her, but she ignored it. It was true. He wasn’t. Even if he and Lexie did raise her and Addy after their pa got killed. Okay, adopted them, too, so legally they were her parents, but so what? She was a grown-up. She’d do as she pleased. And the first thing she planned was to give that traitorous sister of hers a piece of her mind.

  She found Addy in the kitchen peeling potatoes.

  As Tuck stormed into the room, Addy looked up startled. “Abby, what’s wrong?” Worry crossed her face.

  “What’s wrong?” Tuck mocked her sister then yelled, “You know what’s wrong. You lied to me about the doctor then went behind my back and invited him to the singing.”

  Addy’s face went white for a moment. Then with more spunk than Abby had ever seen from her, she stood, her lips pressed together. “Yes, I guess maybe I did fib a little. Because I knew how much you liked him.” She bit her lip. “But I didn’t invite him to the singing. He invited me.”

  Tuck gasped. “Why you little liar. You know you invited him.”

  “No, I didn’t. I promise I didn’t.” Her sudden burst of spunk gone, Addy dropped into the chair. “I’m sorry, Abby. When he asked me, I just said yes, without thinking.”

  “Sure, without thinking of me and your promise,” Tuck yelled. She knew she was making a fool of herself but couldn’t bring herself to stop.

  Lexie rushed into the kitchen. “Girls. What in the world is all this bickering?”

  “She’s trying to steal my fellow, that’s what,” Tuck accused.

  “I’m not either, and anyway, he’s not your fellow,” Addy said.

  “He would be if you’d leave him alone.” Tuck glared.

  “That’s enough, girls. Stop it, righ
t now.” Ma Lexie stood, hands on hips, her lips firm. “You can discuss this when you’re calm. I won’t have you fighting. The very idea. Sisters. And twins at that. Fighting over a man.”

  “What in tarnation has you all riled up?” Rafe frowned at Tuck, then reached beneath a hen and retrieved an egg.

  “I got a right to be riled up. Addy outright lied to me. Twice.” She dropped an egg into the basket she carried then held the basket out to Rafe.

  Rafe couldn’t help but laugh as he dropped the egg into the basket. “I can’t imagine Addy lying about anything. What are you talking about?”

  “Of course you can’t. Because she has you fooled just like everyone else.” Tuck slung her fists against her hips, her eyes widening as she realized her mistake. The egg she’d just stolen from a Rhode Island Red mother-to-be had shattered, its contents running down the side of her overalls.

  Rafe howled with laughter.

  She glared at him then burst out laughing. “Guess I’d better be more careful.”

  “Yes, if you don’t want to end up with egg all over you.” He grinned. “Now what did Addy do to get you so mad?”

  She grabbed a handkerchief from her pocket and tried to clean off the mess. “Like I said, she lied to me. Told me she didn’t care anything about the doc. Then she went behind my back and got him to invite her to the singing.”

  “Oh.” He hesitated. He’d planned to ask Tuck to go to the singing with him, but maybe this wasn’t the time. “If he likes Addy, I don’t see that’s her fault.”

  “Thanks a lot, Rafe,” Tuck snapped. “That makes me feel a lot better.”

  “I only meant—”

  She waved her hand in his direction and he stopped. In silence, they finished gathering the eggs and took them to the kitchen, then went out on the back porch.

  Rafe stumbled around in his mind for a good change of subject. “Let’s go fishing, Tuck.”

  “Don’t feel like fishing.” She leaned against the house and moped.

  “What? Since when did you ever not feel like fishing?”

  “Since Addy stole my man.”

  Rafe’s stomach knotted at the words. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he was jealous. But that was just ridiculous. Tuck was his buddy. Had been since they were little tykes. Besides, she wasn’t even pretty. Was she?

  The thought of her the day they’d fallen into the river invaded his mind. He sat on the step and took a long look. Blond twigs stuck out from the braids across her shoulders, and a few wisps curled around her forehead. Her blue eyes, dark with anger, sparkled as she glared at him. His palms went suddenly moist and his breath quickened.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.

  Rafe came to himself with a start. How had he been looking at her? “I was just thinking about Addy,” he lied.

  “What about her?” A frown puckered the skin between her brows.

  “Maybe it’s time you give in and let her have something she wants for a change.”

  “What? She always gets her way.” Surprise sounded in her voice and registered on her face.

  “Tuck, no she doesn’t. Addy gives in to you about everything. Maybe it’s time you return the favor.”

  Tuck’s mouth dropped open. “Well, I’ll be. I thought you were my best friend, and here you go taking up for that—” He watched her storm into the house, slamming the screen door behind her.

  Rafe sighed. He’d handled that well. As he turned away, he spotted Miz Lexie heading to the clothesline, a basket in her arms. An idea formed in his mind. He crossed the yard and took the heavy basket of wet clothes. “Let me carry this for you, ma’am.”

  “Thank you, Rafe. But you didn’t really have to do that.”

  “It’s okay.” He set the basket on the ground by the clothesline pole. He grabbed a towel and handed it to her.

  She gave him a curious look. “You and Abby fighting?”

  “Sort of. She’s mad because I took up for Addy.”

  “I see…” She seemed to be waiting.

  Rafe cleared his throat. “Do you think she’s serious about this doctor fellow?”

  “Who? Addy?”

  “No, I mean Tuck.”

  Understanding crossed her face. She placed her hand on Rafe’s arm and smiled. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Rafe. She hardly knows the man.”

  “Oh, I’m not worried. Just wondering. I mean, why should I worry? Tuck and me, we’re just—” At the doubtful look on her face, he took a breath and blew it out. “This is crazy, but I think I might be falling in love with Tuck.”

  Lexie threw one end of a sheet over the line, motioning for Rafe to take the other end. “Have you told her?”

  “No, ma’am.” The horror in his voice was an exact match for what he felt. “She’d probably hit me with a hammer if I told her that.”

  A peal of laughter rippled from Lexie’s throat. “Don’t be too sure of that, Rafe. You and Abby have been very good friends for a lot of years. And that’s nothing to scoff at.”

  “You think I have a chance against this doctor?”

  “What do you think?”

  He thought for a minute. The new man in town didn’t know Tuck. Not like Rafe did.

  “You’re right. I’m not giving her up without a fight.”

  “Good for you.” Lexie grinned. “Now how about helping me with the rest of these heavy sheets?”

  Chapter 3

  Tuck jerked awake and sat bolt upright. What had woken her? She glanced around. Moonlight streamed in through the window and washed a narrow swath halfway across the floor.

  A muffled sob came from Addy’s side of the bed.

  Tuck caught her breath as guilt stabbed her conscience. She’d said some pretty mean things to Addy after they went to bed. Whispered them to her in the darkness, so Ma wouldn’t hear. But surely that wouldn’t cause Addy to cry like that. Shucks, if it had been the other way around and her sister had talked to her that way, she would’ve been mad, not sad. Still, the guilt gnawed at her. Addy wasn’t like her.

  She leaned back on one elbow and placed her hand on Addy’s shoulder.

  Addy flopped over onto her back. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her eyes were red. She must have been crying for a long time.

  “I’m so sorry I agreed to go to the singing with Dr. Fields.” Her voice quivered and heart-wrenching sobs interspersed her words. “It just happened so fast, I said yes without even thinking about how much you liked him.” Addy paused and blew her nose on the sodden hankie in her hand. “I’ll go right into town tomorrow and tell him I’ve changed my mind. Will you forgive me? Please?”

  Tuck stared at her twin, and shame began to work its way into her heart. She had known from the start Addy liked the doctor, regardless of her declaration to the contrary. Maybe Rafe was right.

  She opened her mouth to speak and then clamped it shut. Why should she let Addy have the doc? She swallowed past the lump in her throat and managed to form a sincere expression on her face. “Are you sure, Addy? I mean…if you really like him—”

  “Oh no, I don’t like him at all. I’ve no idea why I agreed to go with him. But please tell me you don’t hate me. I can’t stand it when you’re angry with me.”

  “Of course I don’t hate you, silly.” Tuck licked her lips as her conscience stabbed her again. “We’re sisters, aren’t we?”

  Addy flung her arms around Tuck’s neck and hugged her tightly. “I’m so glad you feel that way, too. Ma was right. We shouldn’t let anything or anyone come between us.” She jumped out of bed and padded across the floor.

  The sound of a drawer sliding open was followed by a thud as it closed. After a scamper, her sister climbed back into bed and placed something hard into Tuck’s hand. “I want you to have this.”

  Tuck opened her hand and made out the gold heart-shaped locket that held tiny photos of their real father and mother. When she’d claimed their grandfather’s violin, a family heirloom brought all the way from Ir
eland, she and her sister had agreed that Addy should have their mother’s locket.

  Tuck shoved the necklace toward her sister. “No, it’s yours. I have the fiddle. That’s what we decided.”

  “I know, but I want you to have it. Really, I do.” Her tear-filled blue eyes almost pleaded.

  “Well, okay, if that’s what you want.” Tuck frowned. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, yes! Put it on.” The eager words, a little too cheerful, rang in Tuck’s ear. Addy grabbed the locket and placed the chain around her neck. “Here. Let me fasten it for you.”

  The chain, cold to Tuck’s skin, nevertheless seemed to sear it. She shivered. Reaching up, she tucked it under the collar of her nightgown.

  “There, now all is well again.” Addy smiled and threw her arms around Tuck.

  She accepted the hug, patting her sister on the back, stifling a sigh. A hound’s ears couldn’t hang any lower than she felt at that moment. Rafe had been right. Addy was giving up something she loved for Tuck. And Tuck was letting her.

  She tossed and turned throughout the night, getting very little sleep. Between the rain that had begun in the middle of the night and her own guilt, her eyes remained wide and sleep eluded her. She’d promised to meet the oldsters for practice, so frustration clutched at her with every turn on the bed.

  When she got up relief washed over her that the rain had stopped. But the still overcast skies didn’t do much to improve her mood. She did her best to smile sweetly at Addy during breakfast, although every time her sister looked her way, her heart felt like it would explode right up out of her throat.

  After helping with the dishes, she waved a quick good-bye, and with instructions from Ma to stop at Branson’s for thread, she rode to town.

  Mud splattered on her overalls as Sweet Pea’s hooves sloshed down the street. She was late for practice. And she didn’t want to get griped at by the oldsters. The three old friends had met in front of Branson’s store every week for years. In fact, that’s where they were still getting together to play their music when Mr. Willie took her under his wing. The other two hadn’t been thrilled about having an eight-year-old girl in their midst, but soon they declared she fit right in.